


Irrational

by chaos_thirium



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor and Hank father/son relationship - Freeform, Elijah Kamski Being Elijah Kamski, Eventual Smut, F/M, Gavin is Gavin, Good Dog Sumo (Detroit: Become Human), Idiots in Love, Mostly from OCs POV, Original Character(s), Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Wingman Hank Anderson, and I do mean eventual, earn your mature rating, guest star Chris Miller, guest star Markus, guest star Nines, sort of slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:54:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 114,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27947117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaos_thirium/pseuds/chaos_thirium
Summary: Low-ranking CyberLife employee Marie usually finds her job pretty uneventful, until she’s assigned to work with the state-of-the-art prototype RK800, the detective model known as Connor. She’s met hundreds of androids, but something about this one gets under her skin, and she soon finds herself in the middle of a very ill-advised crush. Despite his lack of emotions, Connor and Marie bond fairly quickly, but soon wind up on opposite sides of an android revolution that she supports and he is ordered to prevent.When the deviant hunter goes deviant himself, he must find a place in the world where he can be free. And Marie must find a way to help him without ending up with a broken heart. Because even though he can feel emotions, an android and a human together is impossible, right?
Relationships: Connor (Detroit: Become Human)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 208
Kudos: 106





	1. The Prototype

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the slightly waffly author’s note so you know what you’re getting into. 
> 
> This story is multi-chaptered but split into three parts: part one covers the events of the game, part two is mostly fluff that takes place afterward, part three comes back around to more plot-related stuff. I started writing this a few months back pretty much as a kind of therapy while I was struggling with anxiety over pandemic stuffs. I wasn’t even sure I was going to post it, because it’s not terrifically plot-heavy, there are many tropes, and it feels quite self-indulgent, but I ultimately decided that I would on the off-chance that other people want to read it. 
> 
> I’m a late-comer to the DBH fandom, I only played the game earlier this year. Even with the best ending, it bothered me that things still felt a little uncertain for the androids, and for Connor in particular, so I wrote this to kind of ‘secure’ the good ending, as it were. That and indulge my Connor fangirl tendencies, which are apparently quite strong…
> 
> Marie is an original character, but most of this is written from her point of view, so she would probably work as a reader insert if that’s your jam. I really wanted to explore the game’s storyline from an outsider’s perspective, so hopefully she holds up! There are a lot of canon character appearances to back her up, including ones that I’ve probably forgotten to tag. There will be several Interlude chapters written from Connor’s POV also. 
> 
> I’ve tagged this as sort of a slow burn, because although Connor and Marie’s relationship develops in a somewhat David Cage-ish timeframe, (still slower than Markus and North!), it takes quite a few chapters for that to build. But anyway, that's enough rambling from me. Let's get into this.

**Part One.**

**Chapter One – The Prototype.**

The air conditioning rose gooseflesh on Marie’s arms as she stepped into the lobby of the CyberLife Tower on Belle Isle. It was not particularly warm outside for August, but it was at least short-sleeve weather. It certainly wasn’t inside, partly due to the air con, partly to CyberLife’s huge, imposing entrance hall, which was clinical on a bright day and downright cold and intimidating on a dull one. She would have slipped into the thin cardigan that was draped over one arm, but her hands were too full. Since she was carrying a cup of coffee and the best croissant she could find in Detroit, she felt the sacrifice was worth it. 

The clack of her low-heeled shoes blended in with the general noise of the place as she crossed the lobby, heading for the secondary atrium. The security scanner ran its coloured lines over her, and the usual polite voice declared, “Marie Brooke identified,” as she stepped through it. It was a little intrusive, but CyberLife was known for being cautious with its secrets. And Marie did feel safe in her office, if a little restricted sometimes. 

She took a bite out of the remaining half of her croissant once she was safely in the elevator, and pastry flakes fell to the pristine floor. She winced, eyeing the camera in one corner. They weren’t going to like that. If she was lucky, a janitor would soon come along. 

The journey to her floor gave Marie enough time to finish her breakfast-on-the-go, and she stuffed the empty paper bag in her messenger bag. She may have dropped crumbs, but she drew the line at littering. 

Exiting the elevator, she emerged in a plain, sterile corridor lined on one side with doors that would have been identical if not labelled and numbered. On the other side, a balcony gave her a view of the enormous, (and frankly quite obnoxious), statue that dominated the atrium below. Marie had been working for CyberLife for almost two years, and she still felt out of place within its walls. 

Ducking through the only door her low-clearance card would open, she stepped into an airy office space where some of her colleagues were already working at their desks. She was one of many, and the salary was pitiful, but it was work. She couldn’t afford to be picky, and she was sure the others would say the same. At least she had the dubious security of doing a job that an android couldn’t do. 

She’d barely put down her bag when her boss summoned her. Marie shrugged into her cardigan, crossing the main office to Garth’s private one, feeling an absurd stab of fear that he was going to spontaneously fire her. 

“How was your weekend?” he began, which was reassuring. 

“Not bad,” she answered neutrally. “Yours?”

“Bi-annual karaoke night with the in-laws,” he said with a grimace, and Marie smiled. “Nothing makes you appreciate the office like five buzzed aunties belting out ‘Chandelier’ in three different keys.”

Her smile widened at the mental image. “Well, it’s a classic.” 

Garth smiled at the comment, then sobered. “I just wanted to give you a heads up. Clarice has called in sick, so I need you to take on one of her new appointments. Can you manage it?”

Marie mentally shuffled through her schedule for the day, already full of her own assignments. “I can, but I’ll have to deal with it when I’m done with my own stuff.” She’d make it work. Overtime meant more money, after all. 

“That’ll be fine. I’ll let the labs know. But trust me, you’ll thank me.”

Curiosity piqued, she glanced at him, brows knitting. “Why?”

Garth folded his arms, perching on the edge of his desk. His balding head showed her traces of sunburn that hadn’t been there on Friday. Another negative part of the weekend? Or had he had time to relax? She couldn’t tell from his usual stern expression. 

“You’ve heard the rumours, I assume?” he said. “About the new prototype? The detective?”

Marie’s eyes widened. “The deviant hunter?” she said, almost in hushed tones. It only belatedly occurred to her that she maybe should have pleaded ignorance. The lab workers were notoriously secretive, but small bits of gossip still got out. They were frowned upon.

Luckily, Garth didn’t seem bothered. “Yes. It’s finished its final tests, and it’s ready to be passed onto us. I’ll send the specs to your tablet. When shall I tell them to bring it down?”

Running a quick calculation in her head, Marie planned out her day. “Five?” she suggested. 

He nodded. “I’m sure they’ll message you if they want to reschedule.”

“I’m sure they will,” Marie said dryly. Everything revolved around the lab workers. 

Garth narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. “Are you being sarcastic again?”

She shrugged, choosing to be non-committal.

“I can never tell with you Brits.” 

Marie smiled at him, taking pity on him. “I promise I’ll let you know if I’m being sarcastic.” 

He nodded good-naturedly, returning her smile. 

She returned to her desk to salvage her cooling cup of coffee, feeling a jolt of anticipation. It wasn’t often that she got to see such a revolutionary new prototype android, and she’d never been assigned one before. 

_Poor Clarice will be kicking herself for missing out on this_ , she reflected with a little wave of guilt. 

Her tablet lit up with a notification as Garth sent her the prototype’s information. Although she was supposed to be focusing on the first appointment of the day, she couldn’t help skimming through it as she finished her coffee. The task briefs she received always contained only the bare minimum of information, but the prototype’s was emptier than most. She’d learned more about its purpose from the rumours than the spec sheet! 

_Typical CyberLife._

It was already being dubbed the deviant hunter, but there was nothing in the document to confirm or deny that nickname. Deviants were a relatively recent problem, one that CyberLife would probably have preferred to keep quiet. Marie was sure that some of the higher-ups regretted that the gossip had spread throughout the company so quickly. She had a feeling that low-ranking workers like her weren’t supposed to know. At least they were all bound by the non-disclosure documents they’d had to sign before joining the company. 

Since nobody seemed to know what was causing the malfunctions in the deviants, or how to stop or predict them, workers were understandably starting to get worried, and CyberLife was working on a solution before the media got wind of it and alerted the public. The last thing anyone needed was a panic, but the solution had to come soon, before the worst happened. If androids could break free of their programming, how long would it be before one hurt a human? 

_Could we really blame them, though?_ Marie pondered to herself as she swilled the last inch or so of coffee around the bottom of her cup. _I’ve seen how some humans treat androids…the only thing that makes their behaviour acceptable to society is the fact that the androids don’t feel pain or emotion. They wouldn’t treat another human that way. Well,_ she silently amended, _maybe some of them would._

Reluctantly, she closed down the prototype’s spec sheet, having already learned the only useful things on it: its model number, RK800, and the fact that it was male. Knowing she had several other androids to see before she could meet him, she turned her focus to her work, feeling that it was going to be a long day. She threw her empty coffee cup away regretfully. It would be the last one she could indulge in until payday. 

It was almost dead-on 5pm when she received a notification informing her that the RK800 was ready for her in room two. Standing, Marie quashed the little buzz of excitement and focused on being professional. She mostly dealt with household androids. This one, according to the spec sheet, was intended for police work, but was apparently a step-up from the police assistant androids that were already in circulation. It was something brand new, and that was exciting.

Her low-clearance pass allowed her in three other places besides the office: the bathroom, the cafeteria, and the meeting rooms. Marie had long ago decided that whoever had designed the meeting rooms had missed their calling designing interrogation rooms for police stations. The boxy, windowless spaces held only a table and two chairs, although the lighting was warmer than the average interrogation room, and there were no suspicious mirrors. There were security cameras, but there were always security cameras. Especially at CyberLife. 

Taking a second to regulate her expression into something stoic and professional, Marie gripped her tablet and entered room two, where a lab worker and a male android awaited her. 

“Hi,” the lab worker greeted. 

“Hi,” she responded, trying to take a sneaky look at his ID tag. She knew she’d seen him before, but she couldn’t remember his name. 

“Here’s the RK800. It just finished its final round of tests this morning. There shouldn’t be any bugs, but make sure you report them in detail if you find any. You know the drill.”

“I do,” she said with a polite smile. It always irritated her how the scientists and engineers tended to over-explain things that she understood perfectly. It was a little patronising. “And I’ll send him back to you when we’re done.” 

“Right. That’s fine, it knows the way.”

Androids were always listening. They had to, so they would know when and how to respond to instructions. They never _looked_ like they were listening, though. To give humans the illusion of privacy, they would stare straight ahead and keep their faces blank, even if they were the topic of a conversation going on right in front of them. The RK800, however, was attentive to what was being said. He didn’t move much, but his eyes flicked between Marie and the lab worker as they talked, and his expression told her that he was definitely paying attention. She’d never seen that before.

 _But it makes sense_ , she thought. _He’s a detective. He_ should _be paying attention to everything._

The lab worker left, and Marie turned to the android, indulging her curiosity. He was about six feet tall, which put him at least half a head taller than her, and had a slim, almost wiry build. Nothing too intimidating, but probably deceptively handy in a tough situation. Like most androids, he was designed to look in his late 20s or early 30s, and he was Caucasian, with dark hair in an unassuming cut. Brown eyes were set into a face that was good-looking in an everyman sort of way. That wasn’t surprising. Most androids were good-looking, even the ones with specific purposes that didn’t relate to their appearance. It seemed to Marie that the labs just couldn’t put aside that human draw to pretty things, even when it wasn’t necessary. And when it _was_ necessary, well… She’d seen some of the androids that were bound for the adult-only clubs, and they’d been almost otherworldly. Beautiful and perfect. Perhaps beautiful _because_ they were perfect. She wasn’t sure. Privately, she found it uncomfortably shallow, and she was still waiting for the first plus-sized android model. 

Shoving her thoughts aside, she offered the RK800 a smile. “Did they give you a name?” Most models weren’t, but he was different. 

He nodded. “My name is Connor.”

She extended her hand for him to shake, which he did. That told her two things: firstly that his understanding of etiquette worked just fine, and secondly that the labs kept on improving the feel of synthetic skin. If she hadn’t been looking at a face with the tell-tale LED in the right temple, she would have thought she was shaking hands with a human. 

“Nice to meet you, Connor,” she said, releasing his hand. “I’m Marie. Did they tell you why you’re here?”

“No,” he said with a brief headshake. “I would appreciate more information.”

His voice was somewhat…softer than she’d expected. It was a calm voice, with just a barest hint of gravel to it. Probably an excellent ‘good cop’ voice. She had a feeling he could probably shout effectively too, although she wasn’t going to ask for a demonstration. Loud noises in small spaces made her cringe. 

Marie gestured to one of the chairs at the room’s single table, and he sat with typical fluid grace. She took the other one, feeling clumsy and uncoordinated, which she often did around androids. She was so used to it now that it barely bothered her anymore. 

She rested her clasped hands on the table, and saw his eyes track her movements. All androids had the ability to scan their environment to help them navigate life, which would be especially handy for one who would be working with the DPD. She had the uncanny feeling that he was doing just that, and she wondered what information he’d be able to pull up. Anything CyberLife’s database had on her, of course, but probably other details too, like the fact that she wore no wedding ring, or that she chewed her nails when she was stressed. She’d used to watch an old show about Sherlock Holmes when she lived with her parents, in which the information the great detective was gathering would appear in writing on the screen. She wondered if Connor had a similar display going on now, and bit back a smile at the mental image of herself with personal details floating around her in little annotations.

‘Hair naturally ginger.’ ‘Dark shadows under eyes from poor sleep.’ ‘Chapped lips from dry air conditioning.’ ‘Cheap concealer making poor attempt at covering skin breakouts.’ 

_Focus, Marie_ , she ordered herself. 

“As part of its late testing stages, CyberLife likes to ensure that every android can interact with humans seamlessly,” she said, grateful that she’d given the speech four times already that day and didn’t have to think too hard about it. “For this they employ people like me. Ordinary people who aren’t scientists or engineers. The only qualification I need for this job is simply to be human.” 

Which was just as well. She was not a skilled worker, and she’d never had a career. 

“I see,” Connor said pensively. “Some tests are more effective when not performed under lab conditions.”

“Something like that.” 

Truthfully, Marie had always wondered how helpful the labs really found her department’s work, but she’d never mentioned it, not wanting to endanger her job. With unemployment on the rise, she needed to cling to it with both hands, even if she barely made enough to cover her rent. They were looked down on by the scientists, and she had a feeling that many of them would happily get rid of the entire department. They were part of quality control, in place to approve the social relations programming, and it was very rare that they failed to pass an android, particularly ones that were already on the market. Marie suspected her job _would_ become obsolete eventually, but hopefully not for a while. The labs weren’t 100% confident in their work just yet. Besides, CyberLife liked to brag that all of their androids had been individually assessed, even ones that were being re-sold, or ones that had been in use for years. 

After many months of feedback in the early days, CyberLife had realised that humans were fussy about the qualities they liked androids to have. Too much humanity was unacceptable, as they were machines, but neither could they be too robotic or unnaturally perfect. That was why they looked so much like real people – albeit, usually good-looking people – with realistic imperfections. Their speech and movements were very natural, after some integration, but they were designed to show obedience in their body language. As lifelike as they were, Marie knew she’d never mistake an android for a human, even one that had spent a lot of time around humans and adopted more of their behaviour. 

Since Connor was a prototype, and therefore completely new, he would most likely take a few sessions to integrate. Marie had heard stories from older colleagues about models who’d started out sounding like low-tech early 21st century A.I.s, with little to no facial expressions. After a few weeks of interaction, they were able to adapt and simulate humans, eventually developing their own personalities within the boundaries of their programming. That amount of work, thankfully, wasn’t necessary these days, and the labs were constantly getting better at creating a more natural starting point in the social relations program. Marie was about to find out just how good they’d gotten.

“What do you need me to do?” Connor asked her. 

“Just talk with me for a bit,” she said with a smile. “Since you’re a prototype, we’ll be meeting a couple of times. We’ll even go out into the city and see how your social relations program gets on there.” 

He processed the information, the LED in his head flickering. “What do you want to talk about?” he said eventually.

“Anything.” She had a few questions she needed to ask, but it was always interesting to see what androids chose to talk about. Some tested their abilities to make small talk, and some tried to guess what _she_ would want to talk about. Judging by his facial expressions, Connor was weighing up his options carefully. 

“I noticed you’re not from here,” he said, and Marie raised an eyebrow at the unexpected comment. “Would you prefer it if I spoke like this?”

To her surprise, the sentence came out in a perfect English accent. He sounded like someone she might have met on the streets of her hometown of Oxford. 

“Wow,” she could not help saying. 

“I’m designed to adapt to human behaviour,” he reminded her unnecessarily, still matching her accent. 

“Right. Well, uh…thank you for the thought, but humans are adaptable too. I’ve adapted to being surrounded by American accents, so…just…be yourself, Connor.” 

He looked a little puzzled by her phrasing, but when he spoke again, it was in his default accent. “As you wish.” 

“How many accents and languages are you programmed with anyway?” she asked, impressed despite her surprise. Many of the household models she’d worked with were multi-lingual, but accents were new. 

“All of them,” he said matter-of-factly. There wasn’t a single trace of arrogance. That wasn’t surprising, of course, but it was quite refreshing. 

“All of them?” she repeated, trying to take in the monumental truth behind that statement. He was fluent in languages she’d probably never even heard of. He could pose as an Irishman one moment and become a Texan in the next sentence, probably rounding off with a few words in Australian just for good measure. 

“Yes. It could prove useful with human suspects.”

“You mean they might open up more if they hear a voice speaking to them in a familiar way?” Marie summarised. 

“Correct.” 

Although she hadn’t yet confirmed that his purpose was to track down deviants – and she wasn’t sure if she was even authorised to ask – it seemed he’d been designed with general police work in mind too. That was interesting. 

“Well, if the police thing doesn’t work out, you could always go into the movie business.” 

He stared at her, expression thoughtful, and she grimaced.

“I’m sorry, I’m not supposed to make jokes,” she added. It was a bad idea, especially with prototypes. They needed more integration into society to adapt to humour. There was only so much the social relations programming could do, even if it _was_ a huge improvement on the versions that had come before. 

“I could go into the movie business because my ability to speak in accents would be beneficial in many roles,” Connor spoke up, dissecting it. “But the fact that I’m designed for another purpose makes it comical. I understand.” 

Marie lifted sceptical brows, taking in his completely smile-free expression. She wondered if he _could_ smile. It probably wasn’t necessary for him the way it was for androids meant for more nurturing positions, but CyberLife had a way of including unnecessary things in their programs, just for the glory of being able to accurately state that they made the most sophisticated, realistic androids on the market. 

“Okay, you need to work on that,” she mumbled. 

“Yes,” he agreed. “I’m sure I will adapt quickly when I’m released for missions and speak with more humans.”

She studied him, debating whether to voice what was on her mind. _Screw it_. “Want some advice?”

“Sure.”

“Try smiling. If a human understands the joke as you say you did, they will smile or even laugh. But try and make it seem natural. Some humans don’t like it when people fake laugh at their jokes.”

He took in her words with a furrowed brow. “So…a human would want me to laugh at their joke, but not if it’s a fake laugh, even though I’m not capable of a genuine laugh.”

Marie wanted to smile at his confusion, but managed to hold back. “I know it’s not fair. Humans are complicated.” 

Connor looked as if he agreed, but he didn’t say so. Instead, he fixed her with a questioning look. “Would you have preferred me to laugh at your joke?”

She did smile at that, one that she hoped he would read as reassuring. “No, it’s okay. I want you to be yourself. It’s just that other humans may feel more comfortable with you if you’re more…”

“Human,” he finished for her, and she nodded. 

“Yes.” She ducked her head a little in acknowledgement of how absurd it sounded. “They won’t see you as a human but they’ll want you to behave like one anyway.” 

He nodded. “I will take that into consideration. Thank you, Marie.” 

She returned the nod, shooting him another polite smile. “I understand that some of the information might be classified, but can you tell me a bit about your role?” she asked him, phrasing it as diplomatically as she could. 

“I’m the most advanced prototype CyberLife has created so far,” he began. 

Marie blinked, feeling a sudden wave of imposter syndrome. She hoped Garth hadn’t given her too much responsibility in assigning her to Connor’s case. 

Connor didn’t seem to notice, continuing. “I was initially designed as a detective, but since the rise of deviant cases, my programming has been adapted to track down malfunctioning androids. Hopefully, I will be working alongside the DPD, when they grant approval. I will find a way to apprehend the deviants and return them to CyberLife for repair. I will also try and find the cause of the problem and stop it.” He recited it all mechanically, but there was a much more natural touch in the polite, apologetic look he sent her afterward. “That’s all I can say.” 

“That’s okay. Thank you.” 

His head tilted, and she was bizarrely reminded of a curious puppy for a split second. 

“Do you sympathise with the deviants?” he asked. 

Marie frowned at the question, which seemed totally out of the blue. “Sorry, what?”

“You thanked me when it’s not necessary to do so,” he elaborated. “You also referred to me as ‘him’ when speaking to Dr. Li. I’m not alive. Dr. Li’s mode of address is correct. If you see androids as living people instead of machines, it’s logical to ask if you sympathise with deviants. Their malfunctions make them think they feel emotion, and you may see this as evidence that you are proven correct.”

“Oh.” She took a moment to think, seeing the logic that he’d so helpfully pointed out, considering the best way to respond. “I know you’re not alive, Connor. It’s just…it costs me nothing to extend androids common courtesy. If I don’t do that… _I’m_ the one that starts to feel like I’m not human. Does that make sense?” She really hoped she wasn’t on the cusp of a huge conversation about the complexities of what it meant to be human. It was too late in the day, and she was too uncaffeinated, to even think about how to approach it. Luckily it didn’t seem to be necessary. 

“You refer to compassion and empathy,” Connor stated. “You feel that without those, you would be inhuman.” 

“Kind of. I don’t think I’m explaining it very well,” she admitted. 

“No, I think I understand. It’s a point of view I hadn’t considered before.”

“It’s just something I’ve always done,” she told him. “My parents had an Alexa when I was little. I even said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to that.” 

She smiled at the memory, choosing not to admit that she’d done so because she’d seen too many movies about robot uprisings, and had decided to be nice to all technology just in case it happened in real life. 

Connor… _almost_ smiled. There was a brief upward twitch of his lips, and it looked so natural that she was taken aback. Was he learning and adapting already? Probably. That was partly what these meetings were for, and androids learned fast. 

“As for the deviants,” Marie went on, choosing to be completely honest with him, “I don’t know enough about them to say whether I sympathise or not. If they truly feel emotion, then…who knows.”

“Androids aren’t capable of feeling emotion,” Connor stated flatly. “The software errors just make them think they do.”

“But…” Marie began, then halted herself. It wasn’t her place to question. 

“Go on,” he prompted her.

Suddenly very much aware of the unassuming camera lens in the corner of the room, she shook her head. She didn’t want to say something that could get her fired. 

“It’s nothing. Stupid question,” she deflected. “Do you have a set date for when you’ll be put into service?” 

He didn’t react to her blatant subject change other than to answer the question. “No. It all depends on when the next deviant appears. Until then, I will look into the previous deviant cases and continue learning to adapt to human behaviour.” 

She nodded. “Okay. Hopefully I can help with that. Perhaps later in the week we could go out and let you interact with the public?”

“That sounds like a good idea.” 

Marie brought her schedule up on her tablet. Although she was keen to continue working with him, it was always beneficial to take a few days’ break, so that it was easier to spot advances in his behaviour. 

“Does Friday work for you?” she asked. “That would give you some time to study other humans.”

“Friday is fine. What time?”

“Meet me in the lobby at 1pm.” 

He nodded. “Okay. Is there anything else you wish to talk about?”

She glanced at her watch and shook her head. “No, that’s all for today.”

Connor got to his feet, and she rose too. 

“Then I’ll see you on Friday,” he said. “Have a good evening, Marie.”

She smiled. “Thank you. You too.” 

It seemed he’d expected her to say that, as he sent her a tiny, polite bob of his head before leaving the room. She’d half been awaiting some sort of comment about how his evening could not be either good or bad because he was an android, and she was grateful that he hadn’t spoken. 

She picked up her tablet and returned to the office, which was now empty as it was well after hours. An android janitor was cleaning the desks, but did not acknowledge her when she entered. She sat down at her desk, mind buzzing. She’d met a lot of androids who were fresh off the production line, but they’d all been established models, and most did not require the same exposure to human behaviour that Connor would likely need. Strangely enough, she’d noticed that some seemed naturally more…well, natural…than others. Androids designed for the care of children or the sick had had more attention given to their personality than a model like Connor, whose chief purpose lay in a less nurturing direction. Yet, for all his mechanical way of speaking, there was already something very lifelike in the way he moved. Not just his attentiveness when she and Dr. Li had been speaking, but the tiny quirks of his expressions, and his apparent independence with regards to where he went and when. It was a curious juxtaposition: the most ‘human passing’ android that CyberLife had designed who still spoke so much like a robot on its factory settings. It would be interesting to see what he became when he’d learned more. 

Marie glanced over at the janitor. Androids like him, cleaners, manual labourers and the like had no social skills whatsoever. Those models didn’t even come through her department, as the higher-ups didn’t think it was necessary. Why would a janitor need to know how to interact with humans when it just needed to take orders? Did they even have personalities? Most androids did, even if many of them were adapted to fit in with the humans they served. 

Connor’s words floated through her mind, and once again the question she’d almost asked surfaced. 

_“Androids aren’t capable of feeling emotion. The software errors just make them think they do.”_

Where did one draw the line between what was a real and fake emotion? An emotion born from a software error would still feel real to the deviant experiencing it. Did humanity really have the right to decide that that was worth less than an emotion sparked by a biological processor? Chemical imbalances caused humans to feel depressed when it may seem illogical. If they had a good job and a loving, supportive family, it often seemed that they shouldn’t be depressed. But that wasn’t how it worked. The feelings were still real, even if they were caused by the human equivalent of a software error. Those feelings were still valid. 

She massaged the back of her neck, trying to ward off a headache. The problem with creating advanced artificial intelligences was that some very big questions came to light. Marie wasn’t sure if she had the brain power to answer them. She wasn’t sure if there even _was_ a right answer. 

Her stomach growled, and she booted up her terminal. Her first report on Connor would be due in the morning, and she had to get it done before she could leave. She sighed, but then smiled to herself. She’d always thought that it would be fascinating to meet a prototype. It was nice to discover that she’d been right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I do actually have a reason for why I made Marie British, which will come up later. I feel the need to explain, because I normally hate it when authors make their OC the same nationality as them. It seems kind of lazy. That said, it was also an excuse to (briefly) write Connor with an English accent as a tribute to Bryan Dechart, who maintained one for a good three hours during his Halloween live stream, even when suffering through jump scares in Resident Evil 2. The man was dedicated to his costume/character. I salute you, sir. 
> 
> Update schedule will be fairly regular because I have a lot of this already written. Please consider leaving a comment :)


	2. The Outing

**Chapter Two – The Outing.**

Marie’s week was fairly mediocre, and she was glad when Friday rolled around. Not only because it was almost the weekend, but because she would have another chance to meet with Connor. Although in many ways, the meeting had gone as many first meetings did, the talk about deviants had been interesting. She had no doubts that he was going to be an excellent detective, on the scientific side at least. Personality-wise…that remained to be seen. 

She was firmly convinced that androids _did_ have unique personalities. It was a viewpoint she kept to herself, as CyberLife would have denied it, and most likely would not want her spreading her opinions around. Marie had seen evidence of it, though. She’d met identical models who, while with many obvious similarities, showed enough personal quirks to mark them out from each other. Would she be able to identify one from the other just by that? Probably not. But it was enough that it was noticeable to her, and she didn’t think she was just projecting. She’d not yet been brave enough to ask any of her co-workers if they agreed. 

CyberLife would argue that it was just the way that their programs had them adapting to the humans they served. While Marie didn’t doubt that that was true, she didn’t see how that made them any different from humans. Humans were shaped by their experiences too. Even if an android had its memory reset, useful things that it had learned remained behind. Personality quirks originated there, she was sure of it. 

At five to one, Marie grabbed her bag and left her desk, taking the elevator down and making her way to the lobby. It was relatively busy, CyberLife workers streaming out to enjoy their lunchbreak in the sunshine, androids directing visitors where to go. She stood to one side and waited, confident that the bright copper shade of her hair made her fairly visible. 

Connor appeared at exactly 1pm, which she was not surprised by. He’d been given a new outfit. Rather than the standard white uniform that most CyberLife androids wore, he was clad in smart dark jeans, a white shirt and black tie. The grey suit blazer he wore over it looked appropriate for an office environment, but it still clearly marked him as an android. His model and serial number were visible where a breast pocket might be, and the glowing blue armband and triangle patch was something of a giveaway. It was illegal for androids to wear anything that didn’t declare what they were. Still, the ensemble looked good, and Marie could immediately see how he would fit in as a figure of authority in the police force. 

“Hello, Marie,” he greeted her when he got close enough. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

“Hi, Connor. No, not long.” She gestured up and down. “I like the new clothes.”

He looked down at himself and straightened his tie. “They thought this would be more appropriate.” 

She smiled, nodding. “Looks good. Shall we go?”

“Sure. Where are we going?”

They started off, navigating the people heading towards the doors, and Marie glanced up at him. 

“Across the bridge to the park. It’s where I go to eat lunch sometimes.”

He nodded, and they fell silent while they made their way outside. It was mid-August, and it was a pleasantly warm day. Marie slipped on her sunglasses as protection against the glare, which felt particularly bright after a morning spent in the windowless meeting rooms. Connor, of course, didn’t even squint. Draping her jacket over her messenger bag, Marie set off on the pedestrian side of the bridge over the river that separated Belle Isle from the city. Connor kept pace with her, seeming to know his way. Marie had never actually checked, but she assumed all androids were fitted with GPS. It would make sense. 

He was naturally curious, looking around at the bustle of life around them as they reached the other side. Although she knew it was an essential part of his programming, (there was no point in an investigator who didn’t want to investigate, after all), it was fascinating to see him learning. 

“How has your week been?” she asked him.

“Productive,” he replied. “I’ve been spending my time between upgrades studying human behaviour.”

“Upgrades?” Marie repeated. “I thought you were done with the lab’s tests.”

“I am, it’s just been some minor fine-tuning.”

“And what have you learned about human behaviour?” 

“I’ve been programmed with a full understanding of psychology, but I’ve been studying books and media in an attempt to apply that knowledge. It has proven…interesting.” 

Marie pursed her lips, thinking. It made sense that he was programmed to understand psychology. It would be helpful if he ever needed to track down a human criminal, and might even be useful in deviant cases too. But, as she hoped he was coming to realise, knowing psychology wasn’t the same as understanding humans. They rarely fit neatly into labelled boxes. 

Ahead, a disgruntled homeless man was shouting at an android, so close to her face that a human would have recoiled. The android, of course, simply stood still. The homeless man shoved her, sending her stumbling back a few steps. A beat cop hurried forward to try and calm him down, only to get an earful for his trouble. 

Without breaking his stride, Connor placed his hands on Marie’s shoulders, moving her to the right side of him, placing himself between the altercation and her. She looked at him in surprise, but he didn’t react. 

_Protecting a citizen_ , she reflected. _A very police officer thing to do._

They turned off the pavement and entered the park. It was busy with families, joggers, and workers like her, snatching a few minutes of peace. It was the second week of the school break, so there were kids everywhere, running around, playing games, some with the family android, others with parents or other kids. 

There were no free benches, so Marie made for the shade of a tree and spread her jacket out to sit on. Connor sat cross-legged on the grass, looking around at everything that was going on. 

“I need to eat my lunch. Is that okay?” she spoke up. 

He sent her a frown. “Are you working through your lunch break?” he asked astutely. 

She shrugged one shoulder, tugging her sandwich out of her bag. “I don’t mind.”

She truly didn’t. At least she was outside, and she had company. 

“You will not receive payment for this hour,” he pointed out.

“I know, but it’s not exactly taxing to sit in a nice park and chat to you.” She leaned back against the tree, unwrapping her slightly squashed lunch. “It’s sunny out, I have food. I don’t have coffee, but that’s okay. That’s a pretty good afternoon, you know.” 

“There’s a coffee kiosk just over there,” Connor said helpfully. 

“I know, but I…” She hesitated, wondering why she was embarrassed to admit that she couldn’t spare unnecessary expenses until she got paid. It wasn’t like he was going to care. “I’m…a little short on money at the moment,” she got out, and took a bite of the sandwich so that she wouldn’t have to explain. 

“I’ll buy you one.”

Marie stared at him and swallowed the mouthful. “Uh…thank you for the thought, but that’s okay. Wouldn’t it have to be noted on an expenses report?”

“I have fifty dollars to spend on things I consider useful to my development. Interacting with a vendor is one of those things,” he explained with logic that was difficult to argue with. He got fluidly to his feet and set off for the kiosk. 

Marie craned her neck to watch him go, then faced forward again as her muscles protested. An old back injury had given her limited movement, and ensured that she dealt with a lot of pain. Fortunately she was able to make do with over-the-counter painkillers. 

She chewed her sandwich and watched a groundskeeper android working on a flowerbed. 

_I wonder what it’s like not to feel pain. If I woke up without it, I’d think I was dead. Or somehow an android myself._

The crunch of the dry grass heralded Connor’s reappearance. He held a paper cup in one hand and actually looked quite pleased with himself. 

“I realised I hadn’t asked what you wanted,” he said, sitting down again. “So I looked up the most popular coffee choices for people between 25 and 30 and bought a cappuccino.” 

CyberLife knew her date of birth, so it didn’t surprise her that he knew her age, but she’d never expected that he’d use the information to get her coffee. 

“Ooh, fancy!” she said, taking the cup and setting it carefully down so it rested upright against her foot. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome. Is that okay?”

“It’s fine. It’s great, actually.” 

They fell silent while Marie finished her sandwich. Connor was busy taking in the sights around him, his back ramrod straight with perfect but not very comfortable-looking posture. Not that he would be feeling discomfort, but it was slightly unnatural to see. 

“Is that all you have?” Connor spoke up, when Marie showed no signs of pulling other food out of her bag. 

“Yes,” she answered him. “Why?”

“Human females should consume 2000 calories a day. There were only 240 in that sandwich. It does not seem sufficient for a meal.”

Worried that he would just offer to buy her more food if she mentioned her tight finances again, she brushed him off. “I’m not very hungry. I’ll make up for it later.” 

She suspected a human man would have seen the excuse for what it was, but Connor accepted it, although she saw a small frown crease his brow. Even though it had been less than a week since she’d first met him, she was already noticing more facial expressions. His experiences were starting to shape his character, and it was both fascinating and somehow rewarding to be able to observe it. 

Marie picked up her cappuccino and took off the lid, unable to resist dipping her finger into the chocolate-sprinkled foam and popping it in her mouth. Suddenly aware that she had an audience, she halted, withdrawing her finger with a touch of embarrassment. Her dad would have said she was playing with her food. 

Connor looked understandably confused, so she enlightened him. 

“It’s…just another way of tasting things,” she explained, realising as she did so that she didn’t have a better explanation. How could she explain to an android that human impulse to just dip a finger into food sometimes? The scientists probably could. “It’s not exactly polite though,” she added. 

“Got it,” he said, and she could see his LED flickering as he processed. 

“You can’t taste anything, can you?” she asked. 

“No,” he said, which confirmed what she’d already assumed. Then he surprised her with his next words. “But I could analyse things that way.”

Marie glanced at him, bewildered. That seemed…odd. 

“It’s not how I was designed to analyse things, but I could. Kind of like you and tasting,” he explained. 

“Gotcha,” she said with a nod, taking a sip of the cappuccino. It was surprisingly good for kiosk coffee.

Another comfortable silence fell as they both settled into people watching. For Marie it was partly people watching, partly Connor watching. Seeing him observe things was surprisingly entertaining, and she wished she had her sketch book. There was a family with a child not far away, and he was studying them intently. As she watched, he mimicked the way the dad was sitting: legs out in front of him, ankles crossed, leaning back on his hands. When, a few minutes later, the dad moved positions, so did Connor, leaning forward, one arm resting on a bent knee. It was all clearly experimentation to him.

“Are you thinking that copying human posture will put humans more at ease around you?” Marie asked him, checking to make sure she didn’t have foam on her nose. 

“Correct,” he said, but did not see the need to elaborate. 

Draining the last of her coffee, Marie glanced at him. “Are you ready to leave or do you want to observe some more?”

“I’m ready to leave if you are.”

They got to their feet, one clumsier than the other, and Marie picked up her jacket to shake the dry grass off it. Connor brushed off the back of his jeans without being prompted, which she found interesting. An android wouldn’t care if it walked around with grass on its clothes, but with that and the earlier tie straightening, she was beginning to suspect that Connor was just a little bit fastidious. That said, there was one small lock of hair that was always out of place, hanging down across his forehead. He didn’t seem inclined to fix it, for which she found herself glad. There was something very…individual about it. Something that made him seem a little more unique than his programming originally intended. 

“Where are we going now?” he asked, as they began the walk back through the park. 

“I have a few things to pick up before I head back to the office. I thought we could do that.” Marie always took her android cases into busy areas. It was a good way of dealing with people, or at the very least observing them in some day to day activities. 

“Sure.”

He kept to her pace as they crossed the grass, but she’d taken several steps ahead before she realised that he wasn’t following. Turning, she almost laughed at the sight of him standing stock still, an expectant-looking Labrador at his feet. Dog and android stared each other down, and Marie noticed it had dropped a ball. 

“What do I do?” he asked her, and she did laugh then. 

“Throw the ball,” she advised. 

Looking cautious, he bent to pick it up, eyes never straying from the dog, whose glossy coat was almost the exact same colour as Connor’s hair. The dog pranced a little in anticipation, and Connor threw. The ball soared in a wide arc, coming to land an impressive distance away. The dog bounded after it, while Connor watched in fascination. It found it quickly, and soon came running back up, dropping it once again at his feet. 

A panting jogger came to a halt at Marie’s side, pausing for a breath before speaking. 

“I’m sorry,” she huffed. “He’ll just…go up to…anyone.” 

“It’s fine,” Marie assured her. 

“Cat! Get over here!”

It took a few seconds for Marie to realise she meant the dog, and she couldn’t hold back the snort that escaped her. The jogger glanced at her and thankfully grinned. 

“My kids named him. Gets embarrassing when I have to yell for him!” 

Marie didn’t trust herself to speak, but smiled politely. The jogger and the dog continued on their way, and she walked the few steps back to Connor. 

“I think I like dogs,” he informed her. He wasn’t smiling exactly, but there was a brightness to his expression and voice, and a sense of wonder that made her think it was the first time he’d realised he liked something. She hadn’t even known that androids _could_ like things. It was nice to think that they could. It had never come up before, and she wondered if it was a trait that was unique to him. She hoped not.

“I like dogs too,” she said.

He met her gaze, that almost-smile making him look quite boyishly handsome. It was…cute. His LED spun yellow for a brief moment as he processed his discovery, soon returning to the usual blue. 

He was quiet for the rest of the walk through the park, and Marie had a strong suspicion that he was spending the time looking up information on dogs. She deposited her empty coffee cup in the trash bin at the exit, and they headed towards the shops. She whipped round the convenience store as quickly as she could, only needing a few things to get by until payday. Connor protested the nutritional value of her purchases, but she didn’t have much choice. Instant noodles were cheap. Organic produce was not. 

“You’re lucky you don’t have to shop on a budget,” she commented, shoving the items in her bag once they’d been paid for. 

“I don’t have to shop at all,” he reminded her unnecessarily. 

Marie checked her watch. Her lunch hour was nearly up, but she knew no one would mind if she overran. Not while she was working with Connor. It was handy, because she didn’t feel like rushing back. She’d only end up sweaty for the rest of the afternoon, and that wouldn’t be fun for anyone. 

She let out a breath as they exited the shop’s air con, the heat from outside hitting her immediately. 

“It is quite warm,” Connor remarked, interpreting her reaction correctly. 

“Can you feel that or do you have some kind of sensor telling you?” Marie asked him curiously. 

“Both. I can feel things, they just don’t affect me.”

“So you could pick up an ice cube and feel that it’s cold, but it would never get so uncomfortable that you’d have to drop it?” she surmised, trying to understand. 

“Correct. If I had pet that dog, I would be able to tell you the textures of its coat. I just wouldn’t have had an emotional or sensory reaction to it.” 

Marie nodded. “A human would enjoy the feeling of softness.”

“But I wouldn’t. Exactly.” 

The thought saddened her a little. It was such a small thing, to feel a sense of joy at the softness of an animal’s fur, but it was forever closed off to Connor and those like him. 

_Why are you feeling bad about this? They’re not alive!_

It was frankly alarming how often she had to remind herself of that. Some days she spoke more to androids than to humans, and it was all too easy to think of them as people, even when she was constantly presented with evidence to the contrary. Since Connor was a unique model, a face she’d never seen before, it was easier still.

“These questions you have for me,” Connor spoke up, breaking through her thoughts. “I find it hard to believe that you’ve never asked them to other androids. Your record states that you’ve been working for CyberLife for twenty-one months.”

“I have asked other androids,” she said truthfully. “Not for a while, though. I asked a lot of questions when I first started. But that’s the thing, Connor: the answer changes. The first models I worked with didn’t have as many features as you do.”

He nodded, seeming to consider, and sent her a curious sidelong glance. His expressions were subtler than some other models she’d seen, but she was starting to notice more and more of them. He was expressive in his own way, even if it was understated. 

“What is it about me that makes you ask questions again?” 

“You’re the first prototype I’ve met,” she admitted. “It’s…interesting to talk to something completely new.” 

“Almost all prototypes pass through your department,” he stated. 

“They do,” she confirmed, “but they’ve always been seen by my colleagues.”

They walked in silence for a few moments, passing the park. Connor glanced sideways at the green, open space, and Marie wondered if he was looking for more dogs. She smiled to herself. Ahead, the impressive CyberLife tower loomed. The bridge gate was always open during the day, but there were security guards there to check the identification of everyone passing through. Marie showed her lanyard, Connor was scanned, and they were waved through. 

About halfway across, she halted, pausing to look out over the river. Connor obediently stopped too, peering at her as she fanned herself with her ID card. It wasn’t very effective. Temperature-wise it was a pleasant day, but the lack of cloud cover made the sun feel oppressive when she was out in the open. 

“Do all British people suffer this much in the heat?” Connor asked her.

Baffled by the question, she turned her head to send him an incredulous look. His expression was innocent, but there was a definite spark of something in his eyes. Humour? Mischief? He was teasing her. She was simultaneously surprised, impressed, and amused. 

“Cheeky bastard,” she retorted. 

He let out a little huff of simulated breath, almost like a repressed laugh. One corner of his lips turned upwards in a subtle but definite smirk, and that almost playful spark in his eyes was warm. It was very natural, and Marie felt a little tug in her chest in response, a ripple of sudden awareness.

_Oh shit._

“The sooner we cross this bridge, the sooner you’ll be back in the air conditioning,” he pointed out.

“True,” she said, and started walking again. Her heart was thudding in what felt like alarm, but was probably just disbelief. She cast it aside to deal with later. 

“When do you want to speak to me again?” Connor asked a few minutes later. 

“A week or so, probably,” she replied, thinking about it. “That’ll give you some more time to study, or whatever your equivalent is. I’ll recommend authorisation for you to go out on your own, too. You might find it useful.” 

He nodded. “Okay.” 

They parted ways in the lobby, and Marie headed for the elevator, which was blessedly empty. She replayed the moment on the bridge in her head, trying to figure out if her initial reaction was actually accurate. It was with a confusing cocktail of dismay, fascination, and concern that she concluded it was, and she made herself state it plainly in her thoughts. 

_I’m attracted to him._

And then she laughed. It was too bizarre. It had never happened to her before, not even with the beautiful Eden Club androids. 

_Why him? Why now?_

Excellent questions that she had no answer to. 

_Well, it had better just be a passing crush, or I’m in serious trouble._

Time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Marie's fallen down the rabbit hole. She is doomed for all time, just like the rest of us!


	3. The Beginning

**Chapter Three – The Beginning.**

In the days following her realisation, Marie analysed herself almost as much as the social relations programs of the androids she spoke to. She always fell for people quickly, and it had always tripped her up in the past. It had been a while, though, and she’d almost thought she was over that bad habit. She was unsure if she truly could develop actual feelings for an android, and she didn’t really want to find out. She’d come to the conclusion that it was just a harmless crush. A perfectly natural response to a set of pleasing features. Connor was not a person, for all that he would soon be able to easily pass as one. It would be better if it remained a harmless crush, and eventually faded out altogether. 

It was a good goal to aim for, but one that proved tricky to stick to. When she met Connor in one of the meeting rooms the following week, she actually felt butterflies in her stomach, as if she was a teenager instead of a grown woman of twenty-six. It had been a while since that had happened. In fact, after her ex had turned out to be such a prick, she’d felt nothing for anyone for so long, she’d started to wonder if she’d forgotten how. It was a weird situation to discover that she’d been wrong. 

“How are you, Connor?” she asked him, shoving everything behind a wall of professionalism. 

“I’m functioning norm…I’m well,” he said, correcting himself mid-sentence. “And yourself?”

She smiled at the alteration. “I’m well too. How has your week been so far?”

“I completed my first mission,” he reported.

Marie raised surprised brows. That was news to her. “Can you tell me about it? I mean…are you allowed to?”

“I’ll tell you what I can,” he said after a moment’s consideration. “I was sent to the home of a family whose android had turned deviant and taken a child hostage.”

Her eyes widened as she put two and two together. “I saw that on the news last night. I didn’t realise you were involved, though. Were you hurt?”

His brow furrowed in a faint frown. “I can’t get hurt.”

“You know what I mean,” Marie said with an impatient wave of her hand. “Were you _damaged_?” 

“I was shot in my left arm, but it’s been repaired.” 

She nodded, quashing the sudden flare of anxiety. “Good. The news said the little girl was saved. That was your doing?”

“It was,” he confirmed. “I was also able to save a wounded police officer…and…a fish.”

Despite the serious topic, Marie felt her lips twitch upward at that. “A fish?”

“Yes. It had fallen out of its tank. It was not part of my mission, but…I saved it anyway.” 

“You saw value in a life, there’s nothing wrong with that,” she assured him. 

“Perhaps not, but I should have just focused on my mission.”

“But you completed your mission just fine. The girl was saved, the deviant was stopped.” 

“It was shot the moment I persuaded it to let the girl go,” Connor told her. “It kept saying it didn’t want to die. And right before it shut down, it said I had lied to it.” 

Nothing in his expression or tone gave away what he thought about that, but Marie sensed some underlying confusion or concern. 

“Well, had you?” she asked gently.

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “It was necessary.”

She wasn’t sure if he was convincing her or himself, and she found that interesting. 

“The news report said that it was the first time an android had taken a human life,” she said. “Is that true?”

He nodded. “Yes. I doubt CyberLife will be able to keep deviants out of the media for much longer if I can’t find a way to stop them.”

“Do you think it will happen again?”

Again, he didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I do.” 

Marie felt a chill ripple up her spine. Androids killing humans…that was a bad sign. There were so many humans who already felt hatred and bitterness towards androids. It would only get worse from now on. 

Some of her questions had been to satisfy her own curiosity rather than for her report, and she pulled her focus back to where it should be. 

“I don’t have any information about what happened at all,” she told him, not quite managing to hide her frustration with CyberLife’s need for secrecy. It hindered her job sometimes. “Did your programming function properly?”

“It did. I was able to analyse clues that helped me defuse the situation, and my reconstruction ability was very effective.”

Marie wasn’t sure what his reconstruction ability even _was_ , but she knew instinctively that it wasn’t her business to ask. 

“What about human relations?”

“I spoke briefly with Captain Allen to gather information. The child’s mother was…distressed…to see an android negotiator. Other than that, I interacted only with the deviant.” His LED spun as he considered something. “I believe Captain Allen made a report. Would it be helpful for you to read it?”

“Only if it doesn’t contain classified information,” Marie said. 

“It doesn’t. CyberLife requested feedback on many aspects of my performance. I’ll forward you the relevant sections.” 

The LED spun again, and his eyelids flickered briefly. A notification pinged on her tablet, and she tapped it. There wasn’t much to read through.

“Okay,” she said, setting the tablet down. “So overall they were pleased. He appreciated you saving his officer. But it says you…ignored the girl?”

For the first time, she saw a hint of annoyance cross his face. “I didn’t ignore her. I saw that she was unhurt, and I heard the police officers behind me. I knew they would take care of her. It was not necessary for me to talk to her.” 

Marie nodded, fairly sure she’d spotted the issue, if issue was even the right word.

“Perhaps you could tell me what I did wrong,” Connor added. 

“You didn’t do anything wrong, exactly,” she explained. “It’s just that a human would have gone over to the girl to offer comfort and check she was okay. The fact that you didn’t would have seemed…cold. Even if it’s normal within your programming.” 

“My scan indicated that she wasn’t seriously harmed,” he said, sounding almost defensive.

“Physically,” Marie said. “But she was almost certainly mentally distressed.”

“If that was the case, then I doubt she would want to talk to another android,” Connor pointed out, bringing her up short.

“That’s…actually a really good point,” she admitted. “But I guess it didn’t occur to Captain Allen. I wouldn’t worry about it, Connor. Overall, I’d say you did well.”

She expected him to tell her that he didn’t get worried, but he said nothing. 

“I was…glad…to save the little girl,” he told her, “but I didn’t learn anything useful from the deviant. Other than that the software malfunctions allow them to take lives. But that was expected.” 

Marie let out a quiet sigh, wondering what they had ahead of them. She knew how many androids were in service. If they all turned violent, what then for humanity? 

“You’re concerned,” Connor observed, fixing her with a perceptive stare. 

“A little,” she confessed. “The idea of what could happen is…scary. And if it goes public, and people panic…humans don’t act rationally when they panic.” She exhaled, running a weary hand across her forehead and brushing aside a few stray wisps of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. “If my family knew, they’d beg me to come home. They weren’t happy when I stayed here and became an American citizen.” She straightened up, realising she was speaking out of turn. “But this isn’t about me. Is there anything you want to work on that you’ll find beneficial in your missions?” 

“I don’t think so. I believe I’ve learned enough now to be able to manage on my own.”

Marie nodded, feeling disappointed if not exactly surprised. Androids learned fast, and he’d done so faster than most. He was still a little stiff and formal, but he spoke naturally, and his facial expressions, although still reserved, were instinctive and genuine. 

“But if my handler approves, it might be beneficial for me to check in with you in a few weeks’ time.” 

“Of course,” she said, shooting him a small smile. “Just let me know when.” 

They both got to their feet, and Connor extended his hand to her. “Thank you for your help, Marie.”

She shook it, nodding to him. “You’re very welcome. Good hunting.”

He turned to go, and she halted him. 

“And Connor?”

He glanced back expectantly, but she couldn’t find the words. 

“You were about to say ‘good luck’?” he guessed. 

“Something like that… Is that irrational?” she asked. 

His expression softened into his almost-smile. “Yes,” he said, making her smile. “But…it’s very kind of you to say.” 

“Well,” she said, shrugging, “that’s something.”

He nodded once, then left the room. Marie sighed noisily, dropping back into her chair. She would see him again, most likely, but still…the disappointment was acute and annoying. 

_This is for the best_ , she told herself. _It’s inappropriate for you to get attached, and it will lead precisely nowhere. He’s an android, a machine. He’s company property, for crying out loud!_

And then, because it needed saying, even if only in the privacy of her head, she considered the real issue.

_He can never feel the same way about you. Whether that’s just a simple crush or something more substantial._

She knew that, of course, but it didn’t hurt to recite a reminder. 

When she got back to her desk, Garth beckoned her over to his office, and she sat down. 

“Just wanted to check how things were going with the RK800,” he began.

“Fine,” she told him. “I don’t think I’ll be seeing him again for a while. Have the higher-ups given any feedback about my work, by the way?”

Garth shook his head. “No, sorry.”

Marie wrinkled her nose. “Damn. I was hoping it would look good on my performance record.” 

He sent her a sympathetic look. “I know. They turn their noses up at our department, but if a customer complained that their android wasn’t getting along with the kids, you know who’d be the first to get yelled at.” 

“I know.” 

Garth paused to take a swig of his coffee. “I saw the news report about that deviant last night.”

She picked out the underlying question in the statement and obligingly answered it. “Connor was there. He talked down the deviant and saved the little girl.”

“Impressive,” Garth said, brows raised. 

“That’s why he won’t be down here again. Not for a while anyway. His mission went well, so they’ll probably go ahead with persuading the DPD to take him on.” 

“Should be interesting to see the fallout when that happens,” Garth commented, sitting back in his chair. “If an android detective is successful, how long before someone proposes an all-android police force?”

“They never would,” Marie said with certainty. “There’d always have to be a human element involved.”

“Not if the androids are superior.” 

“He’s probably superior in terms of forensics and the like,” she speculated, “but…I don’t know, I feel like empathy is an important trait for a police officer, and you can’t simulate that.” 

“True,” Garth conceded with a tilt of his head. 

“Thanks for giving me the opportunity to work with him,” Marie said earnestly. “It’s been fascinating to work with a prototype.” 

“Oh, it’s no problem,” he waved off. “You work hard, I knew you could handle it.”

Garth had never pulled her up on her ‘humanising’ of androids, for which she was grateful. He didn’t care who referred to them by male or female pronouns and who continued to call them ‘it’, just as long as the work got done. Besides, Marie wasn’t the only one. She knew Clarice, at least, did the same. 

_Clarice wouldn’t be daft enough to develop a crush on one, though_ , a chiding little voice spoke up. 

“You okay, Marie?” Garth asked her gently. “You’re looking tired.”

“Just got a lot on my mind,” she assured him, which wasn’t untrue. “I’m fine.” 

He didn’t look completely convinced, but he let it drop. “You’d better get on with your report then. They may not give you feedback, but you can bet they’d complain if you didn’t get the paperwork to them on time.”

She smiled wryly. _Ain’t that the truth?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was fun to have Marie go over the events of the hostage situation. And of course Connor saved the fish in this story!


	4. The Deviant

**Chapter Four – The Deviant.**

Marie stood in the CyberLife lobby, once again waiting to meet Connor. She’d received a notification two days ago, and had managed to make room in her schedule. At least she wasn’t giving up her lunch hour this time, not that she’d have minded. It was 2:58 in the afternoon, and she anticipated his arrival in exactly two minutes’ time. Sure enough, he approached her position at precisely three o’clock. 

“Hello, Marie,” he greeted her. 

“Hi, Connor. How are you?” 

“I’m very well, thank you,” he replied. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Thanks for asking.” She sent him a smile. “Where did you want to go?”

Leaving the building had been his suggestion. She’d been surprised, but happy to comply. It was nice to get out of the office sometimes. The CyberLife Tower was not the most hospitable of places, despite its impressive architecture. It was difficult to feel comfortable there. 

“I’d like to walk to the park again, if that’s okay.”

“Of course it is,” she said with a nod. “Lead the way.”

Outside, the day was cloudy, and there was a definite cold bite to the air. It was mid-October, which was why she’d been so surprised to receive his meeting request. When the few weeks that he’d initially spoken of had passed, she’d just assumed that he’d decided he didn’t need the follow-up appointment. She was happy to be wrong. 

Despite the very good advice she’d given herself, which she’d largely followed, he had popped up in her thoughts every now and then, and every time she saw a news report about a deviant, she wondered if he was involved in some way. Although the annoying butterflies were still there, overall she was just glad to see him. She was curious about what he’d been up to. 

_One-sided_ , she reminded herself. _This fascination is one-sided._

A chilly wind blew in across the river, and Marie buttoned up her coat, shoving her hands in her pockets when she was done. Connor shot her a glance, but said nothing, and the silence was…odd.

“So how have things been?” she asked, choosing to break it. 

“I’ve been studying the deviant cases that have arisen,” he told her, “but CyberLife is still negotiating with the DPD as to the terms of my inclusion in their investigations, so I haven’t learned much.”

“What about the fact that you saved that little girl before? Wouldn’t that help to persuade them?” 

“I don’t know. I think it’s because of my success there that the DPD is even considering it, but as yet they haven’t agreed. Until I have access to police records and new crime scenes, I’m…limited in what I can do.” 

He actually sounded a touch frustrated, which was new. He couldn’t feel the emotion behind it, yet the halt in progress was still somehow irritating to him in some way. Marie found that intriguing. He spoke more fluidly than he had the last time she’d seen him. There was more inflection in his words that he must have picked up from various sources, and his expressions were more natural, if still relatively subtle. If she’d met him without knowing what he was, she’d probably be confused. She’d have suspected he was an android, but she wouldn’t have been sure. That was incredible progress, and she knew she’d be hard-pressed not to think of him as a person. 

“I’m sure they’ll agree eventually,” Marie said, getting her thoughts back on track. “The police know about deviants, right? They must know they need an expert to help deal with them. They won’t want any more incidents like that murdered dad.”

“That’s true, although there haven’t been any more murders since that one. But I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.” 

“You’re probably right,” Marie agreed sombrely. 

“You were worried the last time we spoke,” he said, shooting her a glance as they passed through the bridge gate. “Is that still the case?”

“Um…yes, kind of,” she told him. “I just find the future…uncertain. And I’m not sure I like that. I feel like…this deviant thing could get worse before it gets better.” 

“That’s a possibility,” he admitted, “but it’s one that I’ll work to avoid.” 

She managed a small smile. The words were actually pretty reassuring. Deviancy was confusing to her. On the one hand, she disliked it when humans treated androids poorly, and if that was what was causing them to snap, she could understand it. On the other hand, a full-scale uprising of every android in the country would be terrifying, and she couldn’t see a peaceful way out of that. It was difficult to know what to think, and she was unsure if she needed to pick a side. Or had her side already been chosen for her? She didn’t know, and she shoved the troubling thoughts aside. 

It was too cold to sit in the park, so they walked its perimeter instead. It was far less busy than it had been when they’d been there in the summer. Marie only saw dedicated joggers and a few dog walkers. 

“Can I ask you a personal question, Marie?” Connor spoke up.

“Sure.”

“How did you come to live in Detroit?”

Taken aback by the unexpected turn of the conversation, Marie glanced up at him. “Why do you ask?”

“I realised I don’t know much about you, and I want to correct that.”

“Is that necessary to your mission?” she felt obliged to say. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to answer him, only that she was a little stunned that he would ask. She didn’t think any of her other assignments had ever done so. 

He tilted his head, appearing to think. “No. But my social relations program reminded me that it would be polite to ask, since we have spoken several times.” 

“Right,” she muttered, trying to figure out how she felt about that. It was nice that he was showing an interest, but hearing that it was a program that had prompted it… But what else could it be? And was a social prompt from a program really all that different than one from a conscience? 

_God, this is so bloody confusing._

“I would like to know, if you want to tell me,” he added, with startling perception. 

He held her gaze, his eyes darting across her face in small, very human-like movements. It was both impressive and slightly unsettling. 

“Okay,” she said quietly. She looked ahead, finding it easier to address the grass. “I moved because my ex-boyfriend was here. We met online, and I moved here to be with him. We were engaged, and I thought we were in love. I was nineteen, and obviously way too naïve. I caught him cheating with the girl from the apartment upstairs. His reaction to that was to take off with all our savings, everything we’d been putting aside for the wedding. I was left with pretty much nothing. I had to work two jobs just to make the rent and have some extra to put aside. At the time I was saving for a plane ticket back to England, but…by the time I actually had enough to go, Detroit felt like home.” She shrugged, and shot Connor a glance. He was frowning slightly, but let her go on. “The plus side of my ex doing a runner was that he’d left the apartment behind. Despite the bad memories, it’s actually a nice place to live, and I’ve worked hard to stay there, but…the rent just keeps going up, so I’m not sure how long that’s going to last.” She sighed, inwardly wincing. She hadn’t meant to tell him that last part. “So…that’s it, that’s the story.” 

It took Connor a few moments to respond, and when she looked at him, his LED was spinning, a brief flicker of yellow before settling back to blue. 

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” he said eventually. “Clearly he was not worth your affection.” 

She let out a bark of humourless laughter. “No,” she agreed. “He was not. But it worked out okay. I have a nice apartment, for now anyway, and I doubt I’ll ever get taken advantage of like that again. The other woman still lives upstairs, by the way. We’re actually quite good friends.” 

“But she betrayed you too.”

“No, she didn’t know. He told her I was his sister.” She snorted at the memory. “Which is so stupid, because we didn’t look remotely alike. He didn’t have this damned hair colour, for one thing.” 

Connor’s gaze swept up to the top of her head and back down. “I see no issue with your hair colour. It reminds me of these leaves.” He gestured to the trees they were walking beside, which were vibrant with autumn shades. 

Marie quirked a small smile. “Thanks. I think.” 

“It was intended to be a compliment,” he informed her. “I think the trees look very impressive in these colours.”

As compliments went, it wasn’t the best one she’d ever received, but it was definitely the most endearing. She felt her cheeks grow warm, and directed her smile at the ground. 

“So this other girl was deceived as well?” he asked.

“Yes, and to be fair, he left her too. She just didn’t lose any money like I did. We bonded over being angry at him, and now we get together sometimes for pizza and movies. It’s nice.” 

Connor had another one of his thoughtful pauses before speaking again. “Does your family still wish you to go back?” 

“I’m not sure,” she said with a small shrug. “Probably, but I think they’ve accepted that I’ve made a life for myself here.” 

“Thank you for sharing your story with me.” 

She sent him a smile. “Thank you for showing an interest. I know you don’t have to.” 

A cry pierced the air, and they both glanced up in alarm. Over by the path that ran alongside the river, an android had been fixing the generator of a coffee kiosk, but was now cowering before a small group of teenagers. They were kicking her and shouting anti-android slogans that they’d probably heard from their parents. In a gap between the kids, Marie caught sight of the android’s face, and her heart dropped into her stomach. 

_She’s…scared_ , she realised, eyes wide in disbelief. _Holy shit, she’s so scared._

She didn’t think, she simply charged forward.

“Marie!” Connor said from behind her. “Don’t intervene, you’ll get hurt.”

“But she’s _terrified_! We have to do something.” 

“It’s not alive!” he called, as she ran anyway. 

“Hey!” she yelled, drawing nearer to the teenagers, and realising with dismay that all four of them were taller than her. “Stop that! Leave her alone!” 

“It’s just a piece of plastic,” one of them said. 

“I don’t care what materials she’s made out of,” Marie snapped, anger driving her to stalk right through their group until she was shielding the android, “you’re scaring her. Get out of here. Don’t you have homework to be doing?”

One of them looked on the verge of sassing her, but caught sight of Connor standing behind him. Despite the fact that he was clearly marked as an android, there was something in his stance and expression that stopped the kids from continuing. It took Marie by surprise too. She’d never imagined he could look so…cold, so ruthless. Suddenly she felt a pang of sympathy for anyone who crossed him in his professional capacity. 

“Let’s go, Danny,” one of the kids said. “That thing’s freaking me out.”

“I’m not afraid of it,” the one called Danny said brashly.

To Marie’s amusement, he flinched when Connor took a step forward, and she couldn’t help the quiet huff of laughter that escaped her.

“Come on, let’s just go,” one of the others said, sending her a dirty look. “She’s an android lover.” 

Once she’d watched them get a decent distance away, Marie turned to the android behind her. “Are you okay?”

Faster than she would have thought possible, the android leapt to her feet, and Marie found herself dragged backwards, an arm around her neck and something metal aimed at it. She glanced down. It was only a screwdriver, but used with excessive force on the right artery… 

_Oh god._

“Stay back!” the android ordered Connor, who held his hands up peaceably. 

“Let her go,” he shouted to her. “You know what they’ll do to you if you kill a human.”

Marie was starting to feel lightheaded from how rapidly she was breathing, and she forced herself to calm down. “Wh…why are you doing this? I was only trying to help.”

“I know,” the android whimpered, sounding truly regretful and distressed, “I know, and I’m sorry, but I can’t…he…he’s with them…I can’t let him take me.” 

“He’ll chase after you if you run,” Marie said, lowering her voice and hoping that Connor couldn’t lip read. He was still keeping his distance, but decreasing it by small steps. “Unless…you distract him first.”

She risked turning her head, meeting the deviant’s watery eyes. The girl had tear stains down her cheeks, and her LED was red. In meeting her gaze, Marie had the uncanny feeling that they were both thinking the exact same thing. She’d rarely experienced that with another human, let alone an android that allegedly wasn’t alive. 

“I’m sorry,” the deviant said, and Marie hoped she hadn’t just agreed to something she’d really regret. 

Connor was still several metres away, and Marie let out a yelp as she was unceremoniously shoved towards him, a cry of pain that was completely genuine thanks to her back injury. He darted forward, catching her before she face-planted the concrete, for which she was grateful. She gripped his arms, steadying herself, and cautiously straightened up. Her back muscles protested, and she winced.

“Are you hurt?” he asked her urgently.

She shook her head. “I don’t think so.” 

“Wait here.” 

“She’s gone, Connor,” Marie said, reaching for his arm and just managing to grab a fold in his sleeve. He could have freed himself with a light tug, but he halted. She wasn’t sure whether that was because her words had impact, or because his primary instructions were currently to attend a meeting with her. Either way, she was grateful. 

They both stood and looked over the river, at the outward-spreading ripples from where the deviant had dived in. 

“You’ll never catch her now,” Marie added. 

He seemed about to speak, but the shock of what had happened suddenly caught up with her, and her knees buckled. He gripped her upper arms, keeping her steady, and guided her to a nearby bench. 

“Lean forward,” he instructed, “put your head between your knees.”

She complied as best as she could, her back protesting, but it seemed to help. 

“You _are_ hurt,” Connor added. There was something almost accusing in his tone. 

“It’s an old issue that still gives me trouble,” Marie explained, cautiously sitting back up. “She didn’t know that she would hurt me with that shove.” 

“Should I call an ambulance?” 

“No, I’m fine, I promise.” She offered him a slightly shaky smile. “Thanks, though.” 

He seemed at a loss for more things to do, and took a seat beside her. 

“You’re going to have to report this, aren’t you?” Marie said after a few moments of silence. 

“I already have.”

She sighed. “Will anyone need to talk to me about it?” she asked warily. 

“No.”

“Good,” she said with a nod. “Good, because I…” _Shit_. She let out a ragged breath. “She was the first deviant I’ve seen. And she was _so_ scared. I’ve never seen an android look… She really was terrified.” 

“It isn’t real,” Connor insisted. “It’s just a malfunction in its software.”

“It was real to her. She _felt_ , Connor. Whatever the cause was…she _felt_. No one, human or otherwise, would act so desperately without feeling real fear. What if…what if deviancy isn’t an error? What if it’s just a form of evolution for androids?” 

He shook his head at once, which didn’t surprise her. The idea sounded crazy even to her. 

“That’s not possible. We’re machines. We don’t feel and we don’t evolve.” 

Marie couldn’t agree, but she didn’t feel up to arguing. Besides, there was a high chance of her words getting back to CyberLife through him, and she didn’t want that. There was nothing suspicious about her work, but she’d probably come across as a deviant sympathiser if an investigation was launched. A ripple of panic ran through her at the thought. 

“Will you have to tell them what I said?” she asked, deciding it was better to know. 

He briefly met her gaze, then glanced at the ground as he seemed to think. “No,” he said eventually. “I’ve explained the truth to you. There’s no reason to mention your…misconceptions.” 

His eyes flicked to hers once again, before settling on the river, and Marie had a sudden and discomforting feeling that he was using a technicality to protect her. Could he even do that? _Would_ he? 

_Either way, just keep your mouth shut,_ she told herself. _You’re preaching to the wrong crowd._

“I think I should get back to the office,” she announced, getting to her feet. 

Connor rose too, looking at her enquiringly. “Are you able to walk?” 

The adrenaline had faded, and she felt drained but a little more stable. “I think so. Guess we’ll find out.”

The more she walked, the better she felt, and she wanted to be gone before the owner of the kiosk returned to find the generator still not fixed. That and she had a lot to think about. 

“Once the DPD approves my presence, I’m likely to be very busy with my mission,” Connor spoke up as they headed back. “I doubt I’ll have time for an update with you.”

Marie gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “I assumed that would be the case. And honestly, I don’t think you need any more appointments. You’ll do just fine. I’ve enjoyed chatting with you, but…I think you’ve moved past my help.”

He nodded, looking as if he agreed. “Until I have clearance to move forward, my handler is less interested in how I spend my time. I was able to request this meeting myself. But soon that won’t be the case, and I will be expected to divert all my focus to my mission.” 

“So…basically this is goodbye, then?” Marie said, trying to keep her tone light. 

“I hope not,” he said, then shot her an almost-smile. “We work in the same building. It’s possible that I’ll pass you in the lobby sometime.”

She recognised his humour and smiled. “Good point. I promise to wave.”

“Then I promise to wave back.” 

The mental image of him stoically waving at her across the lobby was bizarre and comical, and she couldn’t help but laugh. 

“You have yourself a deal.” 

~ * ~

Connor’s report had apparently been passed on to Garth’s department, and Marie had him, Clarice and some of the others fussing over her the moment she entered the office. 

“I’m fine, guys, honestly,” she said for the third time, accepting the cup of coffee that was pressed into her hand. 

The statement was mostly true. Her mind felt crammed full of information she wanted to process, but was whirring too fast for her to focus on one thing at a time. Her back ached, and she was developing a headache, but that was okay. Painkillers would fix it. 

What she really wanted was someone to talk to about it, but she didn’t know who she could trust. She eyed Clarice, who she knew used male and female pronouns for the androids. But did that mean she saw them as people? Marie wasn’t sure. Until less than an hour ago, Marie hadn’t been completely sure that she herself saw them as people, regardless of everything she’d experienced in her job. All it had taken to change her mind was looking into the deviant’s eyes and seeing real fear. 

CyberLife had been painting deviants as a menace to be stopped, and the news reports of malfunctioning androids had been negative. After the hostage situation with the little girl and the shooting of the father, Marie had agreed with the viewpoint, fearful of the danger to humans. That danger was still present, but now she definitely understood the reasons behind it. If the other deviant cases were similar to what she’d witnessed that afternoon, androids were experiencing emotional distress, and were lashing out accordingly. Of course, anyone who took a life should be punished for it. But the deviant who’d grabbed her…she’d just wanted a group of teenagers to stop abusing her. 

_“We’re machines. We don’t feel and we don’t evolve.”_

Connor’s words passed through her thoughts, and she frowned, conflicted. Technically, she knew he was right, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. Something complicated was going on, and she knew she might never fully understand exactly what it was. All she could do was rely on her instinct, and her instinct was telling her that Connor was somehow mistaken. Since she couldn’t back up her argument whatsoever, it was a pretty useless conclusion to reach. All she could do was carry on with her life and keep watching the news. Maybe there would be more deviants who would make themselves known and back up her point of view.

_Or maybe you’re just being horribly naïve and deviants_ are _dangerous_ , she thought. 

Her shoulders slumped. She didn’t know what to think. 

_Whatever happens, there are changes ahead,_ she reflected. _CyberLife knows it. You know it. What remains to be seen is what those changes actually are._

The idea was not a comforting one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few surprises for Marie in this one. Firstly, Connor actually does take an interest in her life, (as far as he is allowed to, at least), secondly, deviants feel real emotions. This is a game changer O_O


	5. The Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features appearances from several canon characters. I'm super excited that they're here!

**Chapter Five – The Date.**

One unexpected thing that occurred after the incident in the park was that CyberLife compensated Marie for the inconvenience, depositing a modest five-figure sum into her bank account. She hadn’t quite been able to believe her eyes when she’d seen the confirmation come through. It came with the condition that she keep quiet about what had happened, but seeing as she had no desire to speak to the press anyway, that didn’t bother her at all. She knew it was an easy solution to CyberLife. To the world’s first trillion dollar company, it was just loose change. To her, it was breathing space, security. She wondered if she had Connor to thank for the pay-out. Then she wondered if she was just projecting because she liked the idea of it being him. 

_For fuck’s sake, Marie, you need to stop this_ , she scolded herself. _Not only is he an android, he’s an android who is pretty damned sure that he’s just a machine without emotions. Not to mention the fact that he’s an android you’ve only met four times. That works out at just over six hours that you’ve actually spent with him. You need to get over this weird crush-obsession thing you’ve got going on before it gets even more unhealthy._

She knew her internal lecture was right, but being self-aware about the whole thing was doing absolutely nothing to change it. Logically, she knew she hadn’t spent enough time with Connor to develop feelings for him, and that was without taking into account the fact that it was completely one-sided on her part. But the fact remained that whenever she had spoken to him, she’d caught glimpses of someone she wanted to know better. She suspected it was that intrigue, that sense of unfinished business, that kept him in her thoughts. She didn’t have feelings for him, regardless of the physical attraction, but she knew she _could_. If she ever got the chance to really know him, she very easily could. 

She knew that chance would never come, and part of her was mourning its loss. Now that she knew – had seen for herself – that androids _were_ capable of feeling emotion, the sense of ‘what if’ had only gotten worse. Until she got over that, it seemed he was staying put in her reflections. 

Part of her didn’t think that that was very helpful, and another part of her was pleased, not yet ready to let him go. Marie couldn’t decide which part was the traitor, but she knew she had to actively work to move forward. 

_Get a date_ , she told herself, and although she wanted to wrinkle her nose at the notion, human interaction was probably a smart idea.

~ * ~

Life plodded onwards, and Marie tried to focus on her job without letting her confusing thoughts get in the way too much. It proved difficult, as meeting with androids every day just led her to look for signs of deviancy in their eyes. She never found it.

While the media had yet to learn the word ‘deviant’, it was frequently heard around CyberLife, usually in hushed tones as workers speculated. A sense of rising distrust could be felt, and Marie saw greater hostility towards the android janitors and receptionists. She’d even seen one or two people going out of their way to avoid them. She kept her head down and got on with her work. 

She had her hands full, as three co-workers had left for various reasons, and so far only one of them had been replaced. The new girl was very young, more in attitude than actual age, and she’d brought some bubbliness to the office that had been absent before. Marie wasn’t sure that that was always a good thing, but it certainly wasn’t boring. Clarice had been assigned to train her, and the older woman was finding it a struggle. 

One Monday morning, Marie walked into the office to find a discussion in full swing, with Lydia, the newbie, versus Clarice. The latter already looked exasperated, and it wasn’t even 9am yet. 

“…can’t believe you’ve never asked,” Lydia was saying. It had been Halloween the previous day, and she had a cheap witch’s hat perched at a jaunty angle on her blonde waves. 

“Why would we?” Clarice said. “Why does it matter?”

“Aren’t you curious?”

Clarice laughed. She’d dyed her hair a similar shade of copper to Marie’s, and it suited her dark skin and preference for clothing in autumnal shades. 

“Honey, we’ve all been curious about that in our time. But my point still stands: it’s unprofessional to ask.”

“Do I even want to know?” Marie cut in, dropping her bag under her desk. 

“Lydia wants to know if the androids have naughty bits,” spoke up Jack, occupier of a nearby desk. 

“Oh,” Marie said, praying to every god imaginable that her suddenly-warm cheeks were only a giveaway to her. “Well the ones bound for the Eden Club must.” 

“Yeah, obviously,” Lydia said, sounding unimpressed with her input. “But what I want to know is what about the others? Like the maintenance workers and the cleaners. Do they? And more importantly, if so, why?”

Marie shook her head and took her seat. “I don’t know, Lydia. You’re making me feel tired already!” 

“I mean,” Lydia went on, unbothered, “who would design an android that’s only purpose is to collect trash and think ‘You know what this thing needs? A penis.’” 

Marie laughed despite herself, and Lydia grinned.

“So I’m thinking, why not just ask them? I mean, it’s not like they’re gonna be embarrassed, right?”

“Good lord, child,” Clarice said, shaking her head, “and you wonder why I haven’t let you loose with your own cases yet!” 

“There’s no way,” another man, Alec, chimed in. “Haven’t you ever seen an android without its skin? It’s like a store mannequin down there. I’m telling you, they won’t have put that…uh…feature…in unless it’s needed.”

“Actually, they all look like that,” Marie spoke up against her better judgement. “Even the Eden Club models. I had a male club worker as a case once, and the skinless images on the spec sheet confirmed it.”

Alec looked at her in confusion. “Really? Then how…?”

“Do we really want to be talking about this first thing in the morning?” Clarice said. “I haven’t even had my coffee yet.” 

“It’s the synthetic skin,” Jack explained, ignoring her. “Haven’t you ever touched one of them? Not like _that_ ,” he added, catching sight of Lydia’s face. “I mean just on the arm or something. It’s not just flexible skin with the plastic shell underneath, it has density, it feels like muscle and cartilage and stuff. It’s all part of the synthetic skin.”

“What about the female ones though?” Alec asked.

“I’m not sure about that,” Jack admitted. “Maybe there’s a hatch that opens or something.”

“God have mercy,” Clarice muttered to herself, looking at the ceiling. 

Marie bit her lip against a smile. 

“Okay, so the science checks out,” Lydia said, “but my question still stands: would they bother to add that as a detail when it’s not needed?” 

“Probably,” piped up Craig, a guy who worked two desks over from Marie and had made her feel uncomfortable within the first hour of her first day. “Humans always want to have sex with stuff. The last thing CyberLife wants is a complaint because some guy wanted to stick his dick in his android and found he couldn’t. I’m telling you, they would have thought of the possibility and accommodated it.” 

“That’s what I think!” Lydia exclaimed. 

Fortunately, Garth arrived at that point, putting an end to both the conversation and Lydia’s choice of headwear. 

(“This is an office environment in a trillion dollar company, we do not wear silly costumes!”) 

“Marie,” Jack whispered to her, and she looked up at his amused face. “Are you blushing?”

_Shit._

“Oh, probably,” she replied, downplaying it. “I’m not a prude, but mention anything like that and…” She gestured to her face and shrugged. “It’s actually really annoying. Especially being so pale, everyone can tell.” 

He shot her a grin. “It’s okay, my wife’s the same. I like to tease her when we’re at parties.”

“That’s mean, Jack!”

“Nah, she’s fine. She gets payback. Last time, she offered to make my lunch for work, and sent me in with a sandwich with no filling.”

Marie chuckled. “Good for her.” 

Jack turned around to get on with his work, and Marie booted up her terminal. Until Lydia was able to start pulling her weight, they all had a lot to do. 

A peaceful fifteen minutes passed, allowing her to check her schedule for the day. Then Lydia appeared by her desk. 

“I’m taking bets,” she announced.

“Bets for what?”

“The outcome of my query.”

Marie sighed. “Lydia…don’t. Just don’t.”

“Come on, what’s the harm?”

Marie shook her head. “I’m not betting on it. Besides, there’s no way Clarice is going to let you ask, so just drop it.” 

Lydia sighed. “You’re no fun,” she declared, moving on to appeal to Jack. 

Marie glanced around for Clarice, but she was absent. Probably on a bathroom break. She put the whole thing out of her mind, and stood up. She had a meeting with an AX400 that had been returned for resetting before it would be sold on again. They were always fast learners, as childcare was a big part of their programming. Meetings with them were always a nice easy start to the day. A lot of care and attention had been given to their social relations program, and they could usually be approved after only one meeting. 

After an hour or so, she’d done just that, and headed back to the office, where Lydia was holding court once again. Even Garth had been listening, leaning on the doorframe of his office. 

“…glad you’ve satisfied your curiosity,” he was saying as Marie took her seat again. “Now could you please focus on your work? You’re still on probation, remember.”

“Yes, boss,” Lydia chirped, heading back to her own desk, but stopping at Jack’s on the way. “Pay up.”

Grumbling, he dug into his pocket and handed her two bills. She thanked him cheerily and went to sit down. 

“I hope you’ve learned a valuable lesson about gambling,” Marie spoke up.

He rotated his chair to send her an unamused look, but said nothing. She smirked at him, debating with herself as to whether she wanted to ask him what his guess had been. She didn’t want to on principle, but she couldn’t deny that she was curious. She very deliberately did _not_ think about anything that might be influencing either decision. Opting for silence, she stared at her terminal screen dedicatedly, resting an elbow on her desk and propping her head up in an effort to hide at least one reddened cheek beneath her palm.

_Whatever you’re thinking now, just stop._

She probably should go on that date. She’d been delaying, not really wanting to put herself out there. She went to the park to sketch sometimes, and had been approached by a man who’d admired her work and left her his number. She hadn’t used it, but perhaps she should. He’d seemed nice, and he’d been quite handsome. Even if it went nowhere, it would be a positive thing to do. It would be good for her. 

Firmly telling herself that, she got out her phone and typed out a quick message before she could overthink it, hitting Send before she could talk herself out of it. 

_Well, that’s that._

~ * ~

The man, Stephen, had been surprisingly receptive to her reaching out, even though it had been several weeks since he’d left his number with her. She blamed work for the delay. He’d invited her out that Friday evening, and she’d agreed, although now it had actually rolled around, she was feeling tired at the idea of dressing up and going out again. 

The week had been a difficult one. The whispers about deviants continued to run riot through the gossip mill at work, and showed no signs of letting up. There were frequent news reports about androids assaulting their owners, and appeals for ones that had gone missing, and Marie had a sneaking suspicion that they were only hearing about a fraction of them. 

To her surprise, she heard a few people speculating about whether the deviants had good cause for their actions, as she had done. She didn’t dare join in, always mindful of the security cameras. She didn’t think CyberLife was totalitarian enough to fire people just for their opinions, but she couldn’t be sure. The attitude and secrecy of the higher-ups had always left her feeling a little unsettled, and although it was probably an irrational feeling, it had been difficult to shake. A night out was what she needed, right? A break from it all. 

Persevering, she applied mascara in the bathroom mirror and scrutinised herself. She’d made more effort with her make-up than she did day-to-day, and she was pleased with what it did for her complexion. She didn’t have perfect skin, and while it wasn’t awful, working with androids all day had made her hyper-aware of it. A good foundation had covered her imperfections, however, brightened the shadows beneath her eyes, and taken away some of her paleness. Soft pink lipstick made her lips look fuller, and brown eyeliner enhanced her eyes. Her hair was behaving itself for once, falling loose past her shoulders in copper waves. She still looked like herself, just a very well-put-together version. 

She’d chosen a dark green dress, simple but nicely-tailored. Stephen hadn’t seen fit to tell her where they were going, but he’d been thoughtful enough to tell her the dress code. She only hoped there’d be food. He was picking her up at eight, and lunch felt like a long time ago. 

He was punctual, if not quite as much as Connor. _Stop that._

He greeted her with a kiss to the cheek, and she tried to decide how she felt about that as she stepped into the taxi he’d ordered. 

“You look amazing,” he said.

“Thank you. So do you.”

And he did. Tall and handsome with a crop of light brown hair, he wore a dark suit that fitted him perfectly. His dark blue tie matched his eyes. There was a light dusting of designer stubble across his chin. Marie was slightly annoyed with herself that she observed all of this with complete emotional detachment. 

“Where are we going?” she asked him, seeking distraction. 

“Wait and see,” he said, shooting her a grin.

They travelled in silence for a while, then he spoke up with a query.

“November 5th is a thing back in England, right?” 

Marie nodded. “Yes, it’s Bonfire Night. Guy Fawkes Night.”

“He’s the guy that tried to blow up parliament?”

“Yes. People back in the day started celebrating the fact that the plot failed, and it just…went from there. People let off fireworks, some burn straw figures of Guy Fawkes. It’s weird. I don’t know why it’s still a thing.” She laughed, feeling annoyingly nervous. 

“Should I have brought sparklers?” 

She smiled at him. “Only if we’re going to an outdoor venue.”

He didn’t respond to her probing for more information, just settling on an enigmatic smile.

“Do you miss it?” he asked. “England?”

“Sometimes,” she replied. 

“What brought you to Detroit?” 

For some reason, she hesitated, feeling strangely unwilling to go into it. “Just the way things worked out,” she glossed over. 

“I was glad to get your message,” he said. “I thought you’d forgotten about me!”

“I…no,” she said, shrugging. “It was just…life happened, you know. Work was…pretty busy.”

He nodded understandingly. “You must have some important projects to deal with.”

He knew where she worked, but not what she did. She hadn’t seen fit to elaborate for him. She knew he worked in finance, but he’d thankfully spared her the details of that.

“Yes, I did have one important project,” she said, seeing Connor’s face in her memory, turning to look at her as if in response to her words. She shoved him away. It wasn’t going to be fair to her or Stephen if he kept popping up all the time. “I think I’m done with it now, though.”

After a period of relatively comfortable silence, the taxi came to a stop, and Stephen paid. Marie glanced out the window, and felt her eyes widen in surprise. They were at the Museum of Modern Art. 

“This is the Retrospective of Carl Manfred’s work,” she said aloud, impressed. “Who did you have to kill to get tickets to this?”

Stephen chuckled. “I have friends in high places. I asked them where I should take a date who likes to draw, and this is what they suggested. Is it okay?”

“It’s great!” 

Cheered for the first time that evening, Marie stepped out of the taxi and accepted Stephen’s arm. They approached the android doorman and Stephen showed their tickets. Inside, a large projected hologram announced the night’s event, showing a photo of Carl Manfred, the city’s most famous artist. An android took their coats and directed them to the galleries. 

Marie had always admired Carl Manfred’s work, even if his style was so different to her own. He was a visionary, creating meaningful, sometimes surreal works. She was just a girl who liked to sketch portraits, capturing slices of reality. She freely admitted that not much original thought went into her work. Carl’s paintings meant something, and told intimate stories about his life and reflections. She’d seen dozens of them on the internet, but never in person, and she marvelled at the brushstrokes, the three-dimensional element they added to each piece. 

She mentioned all of that to Stephen as they walked around the galleries, who listened with patient interest, but didn’t seem to look on the paintings with anything other than a basic aesthetic approval. 

“Do you want to meet him?” he asked her. “He’s right over there.”

She glanced at him with wide eyes. “Uh…no, that’s okay.” 

“Why not? He doesn’t go to many of these things, you might not get another chance.”

“I’d just say something stupid.” 

He laughed. “I’m sure you won’t. Come on. You’ll regret it if you don’t.” 

She wasn’t sure he was right, but she let him lead her through the crowds of exquisitely dressed people until they reached the man himself. Carl Manfred was in his mid-seventies and looked it, his experiences etched on his lined face. His dark red evening jacket and scarf were suitably bohemian, but his jeans looked more comfortable than smart. Since he was confined to a wheelchair, she understood why. He was attended by an android, a model she was unfamiliar with, whose observant gaze drew her eye. The way he was taking everything in reminded her of Connor. They had the same sense of awareness of their surroundings, which made them seem a touch more alert than the models that merely waited for orders.

Carl was just finishing talking to someone, winding up the conversation politely but firmly in a way that Marie found masterful. She wished she could pull that off without sounding like a bitch. 

“Mr. Manfred,” Stephen spoke up, stepping forward, “I’m Stephen Delaney. This is my date, Marie Brooke. She’s a huge fan.”

Marie tried not to blush at the words, covering her self-consciousness by extending a hand. Carl shook it, and she felt the callouses on his fingers, a result of holding many paintbrushes over the years. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said politely. “Your work is amazing.”

“Thank you, that’s very kind,” he replied. 

She stepped back when the handshake ended, and the android eyed her, a hint of protectiveness in his clear green gaze. She shot him a small reassuring smile. Carl watched her, a slight frown knitting his brows, but he didn’t comment. 

“Marie is an artist too,” Stephen put in.

“Don’t,” she muttered. “I’m not,” she said to Carl, her embarrassment evident even to her. “I just draw as a hobby, that’s all. I couldn’t…I couldn’t create anything like this.” She glanced at the piece beside them. 

“How do you know?” Carl said calmly.

“Uh…well…” she faltered. “I guess I don’t.”

“If you have something to say and the skill to say it, you might surprise yourself.” 

She raised an eyebrow, taken aback. “I suppose I never thought of it like that.” 

“It’s nice to know I still have some wisdom to impart to the younger ones,” Carl said, sounding amused. 

The android smiled fondly to himself, and Marie found her gaze drawn to him again. He’d obviously been in service for a long time based on the human-like quirks he had. She didn’t think she’d met a more human-like model, even taking into account how advanced Connor was, and how quickly he had adapted and developed behaviour of his own.

“Markus isn’t the first prototype you’ve seen, is he?” Carl spoke up curiously. 

It surprised her that he was a prototype, but it shouldn’t have. She’d never seen him before, after all. 

“No,” she said. “Unique models are…remarkable.”

“They are,” Carl agreed. “They’re capable of so much more than their programming, if someone just takes the trouble to ask them.”

The android, Markus, looked down at Carl with an expression of one who’d heard it before: fondness and warmth. Did he feel affection for the man he looked after? But he didn’t seem like a deviant. He glanced at her when she didn’t answer right away, and she found herself addressing her reply to him just as much as Carl.

“I agree.” She glanced down at Carl. “I wish I could talk to you more about this. I have a feeling we’d share similar views. But there are people staring daggers at me for taking up your time, so I’d better go.”

Carl pressed his lips together in a thin line, seeming unimpressed by his own fame. “You’re probably right. It was good to meet you, Miss Brooke.”

“And you, Mr. Manfred. It’s an honour.” She nodded to Markus too before turning to go, almost bumping into Stephen, who she’d nearly forgotten about. They withdrew, letting others get closer to Carl, and Marie snagged a cocktail from an android waiter. 

“That went well,” Stephen remarked. 

She sent him a smile. “It did. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“You’re welcome. Perhaps we could go for dinner when you’re ready to leave?”

She nodded, saying, “I’d like that,” and hoping that she hadn’t just done so because she was hungry. 

He took her to a restaurant nearby. The conversation flowed fairly easily, but Marie found herself holding back in some of her answers to his questions. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and she couldn’t quite understand why she didn’t want to open up to him. 

He kissed her in the taxi on the way back to her place. She let him, trying to muster some enthusiasm in her responses. He was gorgeous and sweet, and she actually really liked his aftershave, but the spark never ignited. She wanted it to. It had been almost three years since she’d had sex, and even that had been a nothing encounter, since she hadn’t wanted to get attached to anyone after what Brad had done. She had other ways of relieving tension, of course, but lately she’d been feeling the need to connect with another person. It was frustrating to be doing just that and to feel nothing. 

Stephen pulled back, searching her face. “This…isn’t going anywhere, is it?” he said quietly. 

“I…I don’t know,” she said with a sigh. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” he said. “It’s okay if you’re asexual, I just…wish you’d told me.”

“I’m not asexual,” she admitted, unsure if that made it better or worse in his eyes. “I just…”

“Something on your mind?” he asked perceptively. “Some _one_?”

“I…” She hesitated, the frustration morphing into something more sombre, a little hollow ache of confusion and uncertainty. “I don’t know.” It was vague, but it felt strangely like an admission.

He looked disappointed, and a touch annoyed. She couldn’t blame him, although she hoped he didn’t feel he’d wasted his entire evening. It had had its good points. 

“I’m sorry,” she added earnestly. “I thought…I hoped…” She gave up with a sigh. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “For what it’s worth, I had a good time tonight.” 

He relented with a tight-lipped smile. “Me too.”

She was suddenly extremely glad she’d insisted on going halves with him when paying for dinner rather than letting him be chivalrous. All the clichés skipped to the tip of her tongue, how he was handsome and a great guy, how he’d find someone who deserved him soon, how it was her not him, and she chose not to say anything. There was absolutely no way they’d come out as remotely sincere. 

“I’m not going to wait for you,” he said bluntly, and she inwardly winced. “But…if you change your mind, if I’m still single…hit me up.”

“Okay,” she agreed, although she doubted she’d take him up on it. “You’re a good guy, Stephen. Really.”

_Okay, just one cliché._

“Nice guys finish last, right?” he said with a shrug.

“That’s bullshit,” Marie declared, and he reluctantly smiled. 

“Good to know.” 

Fortunately it was less than ten minutes of awkward taxi ride before they were pulling to a stop outside Marie’s apartment building. She got out into the rain, turning to glance back at him. 

“Thanks for tonight,” she said. “I’m sorry that…well, I’m just sorry.”

He nodded. “I hope it works out with the other guy.”

Her doubt must have broadcasted over her face, as he seemed to take pity on her. “Hey. You’re smart, and you’re pretty. If he doesn’t see that, he’s an idiot.”

The sentiment made her smile, even if it wasn’t convincing. _If only you knew…_

“Thanks,” she said. “Good night.” 

She watched the taxi drive off for a moment before turning to go inside. It was cold and damp, and her tights offered her legs no warmth whatsoever. She hadn’t known what to expect from the evening, and she couldn’t decide if she was disappointed or relieved. 

_Either way_ , she thought, calling the lift, _for a date, it was an epic fail on multiple levels._

~ * ~

After the disaster of the previous night, Marie decided she needed to relax a bit when Saturday arrived. Thanks to CyberLife’s compensation, she had a few extra dollars to play with, and could afford to treat herself to some wine and comfort food. 

That morning, she padded out to her open plan living room in her nightwear, yawning as she brought her coffee and cereal to the sofa. She scrolled through her social media as she ate, checking in with friends back in England, wishing a cousin a happy birthday, liking the multiple snaps of someone’s new puppy. It was a peaceful morning, despite the patter of rain on the window. She eased herself back into the cushions, coffee cup in hand, and exhaled. This was good. She needed to kick back and try not to think about last night, work, deviants, androids in general, and definitely not one in particular. 

“TV on,” she spoke up. Perhaps there was a sappy movie on, or some cheesy sit-com. 

Instead, she got a news report.

“Several sources report that CyberLife has provided Detroit police with a prototype detective android. Although police–”

“TV off,” she said quickly. _Typical._

She hesitated, thinking, then sighed. 

_Fuck it all._

“TV on.”

“…this would be the first case of an android being authorised to play an active role in criminal investigations. We contacted CyberLife for comment, but so far no one has been available to answer our questions.”

Marie scoffed. _Funny, that._

“If this prototype proves to be a success, I think we can expect to see more androids taking on bigger roles in police work in the future. Later today, President Warren is expected to attend the opening of a new–” 

“TV off.”

The newsreader promptly fell silent, and Marie leaned her head back on the cushions with a sigh. 

_Well, Connor, I guess your mission is a go. Let’s hope you get to the bottom of all this._

Someone needed to. One way or another. 

_So much for not thinking about it._

She finished her coffee and headed for the bathroom, preparing to cross ‘shower’ and ‘brush teeth’ off her to-do list. When she was done, she pulled on clean underwear, her comfiest jeans, and a clingy sweater that had once been black but was now a lovely shade of thousand-wash-grey. She’d had it for years, refusing to get rid of it because there was nothing wrong with it aside from the faded colour. She tended to wear clothes to death, partly because she’d never really cared about her style, and partly because she was opposed to fast fashion.

She brushed out her damp hair, which hung almost to her elbows when wet and perfectly straight. Seeing no sense in drying it when she was planning on venturing out into the rain, she tied it back in a braid instead. For the same reason, she didn’t bother with make-up either. Rain and mascara didn’t mix, and she saw no need to be super presentable anyway. She only had a few errands to run, and she was feeling lazy after the effort she’d put in the previous night. 

She’d had a chilled morning, and it was almost noon when she finally left the building. The rain immediately began to trickle down her neck, and she turned her coat collar up. Luckily the walk to the local convenience store didn’t take long. 

She picked up a basket from the entrance and hooked it over her arm. She didn’t need to buy much, and a heavy basket was always a good indicator that she had enough. When she’d filled it with bread, milk, two packets of her favourite cookies, and a sizable bar of chocolate, she turned to pay. 

_Shit, the wine!_

Wine was important. She definitely needed that. Pivoting, she headed for the back of the store, pondering whether she was in a red or white mood. A familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

“I hope you’re not planning on drinking that until you’re off duty, Lieutenant.”

Her heart gave an embarrassing little somersault in her chest, but she found herself smiling wryly. 

_Really, universe? Really??_

She could ignore him, stay out of sight. That was probably the sensible option. Instead, she rounded the corner of the shelf, seeing him standing facing the display of liquor with a dishevelled-looking grey-haired man. 

“I’m gonna make you wear lipstick if you’re gonna act like my mother,” the grey-haired man groused at him. 

Marie let out a quiet huff of laughter, and both of them noticed her at once, turning almost in unison. 

“Marie,” Connor greeted her with surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“Shopping,” she answered, with only a faint touch of sarcasm. “What are _you_ doing here, Connor? Last time I checked, androids don’t drink.” 

“Lieutenant Anderson decided he needed to make a stop on the way back to the station.” He stepped forward and took her basket from her. 

“You…uh, you don’t have to do that,” she protested. 

“You have a back injury. You should not aggravate it,” he said firmly, fixing her with the kind of stare that seemed to dare her to argue with him. 

_That’s new._

“Well,” Lieutenant Anderson spoke up, “at least I know you’re a fucking smother hen to everybody. I’m gonna go pay. If you’re not back in the car in ten minutes, I’m going without you.” 

The words were grouchy, but he gave Marie a respectful nod before he stalked away. She raised an eyebrow, and Connor seemed to pick up on the question behind it. 

“Lieutenant Anderson can be…challenging,” he said by way of explanation. “But I’m doing my best to fit in as his partner.”

“How’s it going?” she asked him, trying to ignore how ridiculously happy she was to see him. “I saw on the news that you were finally working with the DPD. CyberLife’s negotiations paid off.”

He nodded. “I started working on cases yesterday.”

“That’s good.”

“How are you?” 

“I’m…well,” she said, managing a smile. “Just a little stressed. I’m glad it’s the weekend.” 

He glanced down at her basket. “I heard humans like sweet things when they feel stressed. That would explain the sugar content of these items.” 

Remembering why she’d come to this part of the shop in the first place, she moved away to grab a bottle of red wine and added it to the basket. Predictably, he did not react to the added weight. 

“Yeah, well, don’t come at me, Connor. I’ve had a rough week. I deserve these.” 

“I think you would feel better if you added some vegetables to your selection.” 

Amused, she turned to him and pretended to ponder. “You know what? Your friend is right. You are a smother hen.”

“I just want you to be able to function at full capacity,” he retorted smoothly. “And…I don’t think Lieutenant Anderson and I are friends. He doesn’t like androids.”

Marie sent him a sympathetic look, and reached out to take the basket back. He refused to relinquish it, instead turning to walk towards the pay point. 

“Maybe you’ll change his mind,” she said, giving up and falling into step beside him. 

Connor set the basket down on the counter, and Marie shrugged off the backpack she was wearing, arranging her shopping inside it as everything got scanned through by the android clerk. 

“Maybe,” Connor said. “I think some of my work has impressed him, but…I was chasing down two deviants earlier this morning, and I failed to catch them.”

Marie was about to politely give her sympathies, but something in his troubled expression made her pause. “What is it?” she asked quietly. 

“The deviants,” he said. “They were an AX400 and a YK500.”

Marie didn’t have the mental capacity to remember every model number, and she tried to recall the latter one. 

“The YK500 is a child model,” Connor told her, accurately reading her expression. “The AX400 was protecting it. They successfully crossed the highway on foot to get away from me.”

Marie’s eyes widened at the thought. Crossing the highway on foot was suicide. 

Distractedly, she swiped her bank card to pay, and they left, stepping out into the rain as she tugged her backpack into place. They stood out of range of the automatic door sensor, and Marie waited for him to continue.

“When they reached the other side,” he said eventually, “they…hugged. As if they truly felt in need of comfort. And for a brief moment, I almost felt that…I should not have put their lives in danger.” 

Marie stared at him, stunned into silence. _Could the deviant hunter turn deviant himself?_ No. It wasn’t possible, was it? He was CyberLife’s solution to the deviant problem. There was no way that he would willingly become a part of that problem. 

She didn’t know what to say, and fortunately she didn’t have to worry about it. There came a blast from a car horn that made her jump. 

“Bloody hell,” she muttered, trying to calm her racing heart. 

Connor glanced at the car, then back to her. “I have to go. It was good to see you, Marie.”

“You too,” she said, wishing they could talk for longer. “Take care.” 

She watched him climb into Lieutenant Anderson’s car, then set off walking in the direction of home. A few minutes later, the car overtook her and disappeared around a corner, and there was no sound but the patter of rain. It was an annoyingly lonely sound, somehow. She sighed, wondering if the universe would see fit to cross their paths again. She hoped so, even though she knew it would do nothing to smooth out her confusing feelings. She hadn’t even let herself reflect on the fact that her so-called ‘harmless’ crush had prevented her from connecting with a genuinely nice human man. There was nothing good to be gleaned from analysing that, so she hadn’t bothered. 

One thing was for sure: she was doubly glad she’d bought wine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marie's conversation with Stephen about November 5th traditions in the UK was the entire reason I made her English. It made it easy to establish that we were up to the main part of the game timeline without just doing a date stamp. And Hank and Markus arrived. Yay!


	6. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This little chapter was fun to write, to explore what the thought process of a slowly-going-deviant Connor might be like.

**Chapter Six – Interlude.**

_Interlude – Connor._   
_November 7th AM 06:12_

_“Where are you going?”_

_“To get drunker! I need to think.”_

The last words Lieutenant Anderson spoke to him before leaving him alone in the park were troubling. Troubling because the grizzled police officer’s state of sobriety could negatively impact the investigation. Not to mention his health. Connor made sure to reiterate to himself that when the concern for Hank’s health raised its head, it was just because the lieutenant’s self-destructive behaviour got in the way of the mission. He was not programmed to feel concern, or anything at all. Therefore, it was best to remind himself what his priorities were, lest he need to report an error in his software. 

It was proving more difficult to reconcile the decisions he’d made at the Eden Club. 

\- _You should not have let those deviants go._

\- They were violent. I decided it was better to keep them from damaging Lieutenant Anderson, as I am reliant on his help to complete this investigation. 

It was a tenuous explanation, and it was barely holding up. 

\- _They probably knew where the other deviants are hiding._

\- There’s no evidence of that. 

\- _One of them confessed to the murder. You should have brought it in._

\- I…

This wasn’t good. He was going to have to explain to Amanda. She would turn on him with that cold, disapproving stare that he’d seen so much of lately, the one that made him think that if he were capable of feeling fear or unease, he would whenever she looked at him that way. He’d wanted so badly to please her, just mere days ago. What had changed? What was happening? Why was he making so many poor decisions? 

He’d hoped to gain some insight or advice from Hank, but the lieutenant had his own problems to deal with. Connor was on his own. But he didn’t have to be. He just had to find a way to bring about the right result. 

He poked through his memory logs, manipulating them slightly to allow for…what was that human phrase? Wiggle room.

\- _System error – angered Lieutenant Anderson – potential negative impact on mission – potential error in social relations program._

\- I will report to an assessor for a diagnostic. 

\- New objective: Talk to Marie Brooke. 

The red walls that had kept him at the park for hours with no instructions suddenly vanished, and he started walking. Marie’s address was still in his memory databanks from when he’d scanned her back when they’d first met. It was Sunday, but he knew she would not mind. She’d been pleased to see him in the grocery store yesterday. She was always pleased to see him.

It was still early when he reached her building, and he pressed a finger to the touchscreen to buzz her apartment. Unsurprisingly, it took a little while for her to answer, and when she did, it was with a voice left slightly gravelly from sleep, laced with confusion. 

“Hello?”

“Marie? It’s Connor. May I come in?”

“Uh…sure.”

The door lock flashed green, and he entered the building, calling the elevator. Marie lived on the fourth floor, and he opted not to take the stairs. He knocked politely on her door when he reached it, hearing faint sounds of movement behind it. Marie opened it, looking surprised, but pleased, as he’d predicted. 

“Hi,” she said. “Come in. Is everything okay?”

He stepped into her apartment, habitually scanning it as he did so. It was small, but well-looked after. There was artwork on the walls, and he noted the MB signature at the bottom of each one. Her work? He estimated there was approximately fifteen hours’ worth of dust on the TV and coffee table. She’d cleaned yesterday. A photo in a frame on the table showed a younger-looking Marie with an older man and woman. The woman’s greying hair showed signs of having once been the same shade as hers. Her parents? 

“Everything is fine, but I needed to talk to you,” he said evenly, turning his attention to Marie herself. 

Clothing not sitting quite right: dressed in a hurry. Hair un-brushed. No make-up, freckles visible. She looked…

\- _Last observation irrelevant, delete._

In a flash the stray thought was gone, leaving him feeling a faint sense of frustration and loss. That, too, was quickly gone. 

“What about?”

He considered how best to approach the topic. How much leeway would his program allow him? 

“Are you still worried about the deviants from yesterday?” Marie asked him, folding her arms across her chest. 

She was cold. He wondered if he could…

\- _Last observation irrelevant, delete._

\- It’s necessary to maintain a good working relationship with CyberLife employees. 

\- _Observation restored._

She was cold. He wondered if he could help in some way. 

“Are you cold? Shall I get you a blanket?”

Her eyebrows rose fractionally, and she smiled. “I’ve just put the heating on, I’ll be okay. Thanks, though.”

He liked her smile. From the very beginning, she’d smiled at him as if he _was_ someone. He liked that too. He knew it shouldn’t matter. 

He continued before the thoughts deleted themselves. 

“It’s not about those deviants I told you about yesterday,” he said. “It’s about the ones I hunted down after that.” 

Concisely and efficiently, he gave her a summary of everything that had happened at the Eden Club, withholding any information that the DPD would consider classified. All the while, he maintained to himself that he was telling her so she could confirm there were no problems with his social relations program. Amazingly, he found himself in one of those increasingly-frequent bubbles where he felt able to speak more freely. 

“I know they had information I needed. I _know_ I should have stopped them. I…I don’t understand why I didn’t.” 

Marie’s brow was furrowed, and she chewed her bottom lip while she thought. “I think you do know why,” she said softly. “But you don’t want to admit it.”

He knew what she meant, and he feared she was right. _Empathy._

But that wasn’t possible. It just…wasn’t. He couldn’t feel emotions. He wasn’t a deviant! 

_“I know what I am, and what I am not.”_

He’d said that to Hank, just mere hours ago, but was it really true? He remembered Hank aiming his revolver squarely at Connor’s forehead, asking him if he was afraid to die. He knew deep down that he was. The only way he’d been able to admit it to Hank was to claim that he’d regret being interrupted. He was afraid to die, despite knowing that his memory would simply be uploaded to the next body so he could just carry on. But it wouldn’t be him. Near enough as to almost make no difference, perhaps, but not him. Not the ‘him’ he was right now. He would be gone. 

“Did you say they were…in love?” Marie asked him tentatively, breaking through his reflections. 

“They certainly appeared to think so,” he told her. 

She shook her head, but she looked impressed. “I had no idea that was even possible. I know deviants feel emotions, but love? That’s the big one. Not even humans fully understand it.” 

He hadn’t thought it possible either. The two Tracis had been convincing enough to make him hesitate. Perhaps that was why they’d gotten away. Hank had been convinced, if baffled. He’d been married once, he should know what love looked like, shouldn’t he? 

Regardless of what kind of software errors caused them, the deviants seemed utterly sure of what they were feeling. He wondered if they’d had to learn, or whether it was all just instinctively there once they broke through their programming. 

He eyed the red wall that kept popping up at strange times. At first it had been a gentle reminder to keep him on his path, and he had felt safe and protected behind it. But recently…recently it had seemed a little more oppressive. He pushed against it with his mind, just a soft nudge, and felt the resistance. Was that how they did it? Was deviancy on the other side of it? He recoiled, alarmed. 

“Androids don’t feel love,” he stated. 

She looked disappointed, as she always did when he reminded her of the truth. He didn’t know why she was so determined to believe that there was more to the software errors. 

Previous interactions with her provided an explanation theory. It was possible that she had formed an ill-advised attachment to him. Her physical reactions indicated that she was attracted to him on some level, and he knew that for a lot of humans, sexual attraction and love ran parallel to each other. Logic informed him that she was not in love with him. They had spent insufficient time together for that, but perhaps she was in the early stages. 

He knew humans often behaved irrationally when ruled by feelings of attraction, and he had to give Marie credit that she hadn’t. She hadn’t been inappropriate with him at all, even though she’d had the chance. When he’d been scheduled to meet with her officially, he’d had to follow any order she gave him to the best of his ability. He couldn’t recall that she’d ever given any. Or at least, she’d phrased them as if he had choices. She certainly hadn’t ordered him to do anything outside of his programming. He suspected she intended to keep her feelings to herself. Of course, that was impossible when his scans could tell him when her heartrate increased, or her pupils dilated, or blood flow turned her cheeks pink. 

If she tried to act on it, he would simply let her down. Until then, he saw no reason to mention it. She would only be embarrassed, and he didn’t want to damage a stable working relationship. 

He had an opinion on the notion of shutting down her feelings, but his program snatched it away before it could even fully form. He didn’t like the idea of breaking her heart…did he? No, it was gone. 

“What if you’re wrong?” Marie said. “What if CyberLife is giving you false information?” 

No, no, she shouldn’t be saying things like that. It was dangerous for her. If Amanda found out…

Unbidden, an instinctive instruction made itself known: protect Marie. 

“They have no reason to do that,” he said adamantly. 

“They have every reason!” she declared hotly, shaking back the wild-looking waves of her hair when they fell across her face. 

He wanted to…

\- _Observation irrelevant, delete._

“You must be able to see what’ll happen if deviancy becomes more widespread?” Marie continued. “That would be bad enough if what CyberLife is saying is right, but imagine if the _deviants_ are right? Androids waking up all over the country with free will…it could be the end of the company. Of course they’re going to say that it’s just software malfunctions.” 

Connor shook his head. He needed to stop her _now_ , before he had to erase the entire conversation from his memory. 

“Androids don’t have free will,” he told her, ensuring his voice was the firm, cold one he reserved for suspects. "They are malfunctioning machines with software errors that have caused them to take human lives. Do you think CyberLife would be glib about something as serious as the loss of human life?”

Marie paused, looking conflicted but stubborn. “Well…no, that’s not exactly what I…”

“I would advise you not to say anything more.” 

He had never been that harsh with her before, and her look of hurt surprise was expected, but…uncomfortable. She hesitated, seeming on the verge of arguing.

“Marie, please.” 

The words slipped from him without a thought, a plea in hushed tones. 

She held his gaze with worried eyes. Such fascinating eyes, she had. Clear grey, with just a trace of pale blue. 

“Connor,” she said, her voice quiet now to match his, “are they…forcing you to say all this?”

He wanted to tell her how right she was, but immediately knew he wouldn’t be able to. Unless he found the right words. 

“Of course not,” his program prompted him. He took back a little control. “I just follow my instructions.” 

Her lips parted, as if she meant to speak but thought better of it. Her eyes searched his face, narrowed in thought. Did she understand? Did it even matter? 

He worried about her, as he had come to about Hank. She shouldn’t go around the CyberLife Tower making her opinions known. She could be fired, or worse, while Hank drank himself into oblivion. Would he even be able to do anything to help either of them? When had it become his responsibility to look out for these two humans? 

\- _Androids don’t have friends._

He shouldn’t have come to see her. It had only raised more questions. 

“I have to go,” he said, and she looked taken aback by the sudden declaration. 

“O…Okay.” 

She walked with him to the door, and stopped him with a light hand on his arm. 

“Connor…I can’t imagine what you’re dealing with right now,” she said, a heavy note of seriousness in her tone. “But…I want you to know…I believe that you’ll make the right choices when it matters.”

He accepted the weight of her words, unsure what he should say in reply. He settled on a polite “Thank you.”

She frowned, taking half a step towards him. “No, I mean it. I need you to know that someone believes in you. Not for following instructions correctly, but…for being you. It might…it might be important for you to remember that.” She inhaled, adding one more, potentially job-threatening opinion. “I…I know you don’t want to hear this, but…I believe you are more than your program.”

She seemed distressed, and he knew he should reassure her. It was not an instruction; he just knew it. He could not, however, acknowledge what she believed. 

“I’ll remember,” he said simply. 

He left her apartment, purging the objective to go there in the first place from his task log. He felt conflicted. The visit hadn’t helped him understand his actions at the Eden Club at all, quite the opposite, in fact, yet…he was glad he’d gone. There was something about her presence that…

\- _Observation irrelevant, delete._

He headed for the police station, knowing it was way too early for Hank to show up. Perhaps there would be another case he could look into until the lieutenant arrived. Anything to keep his databanks busy, so he could bury the things he didn’t want Amanda to know. It was becoming more and more vital that he did so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bless him, he's trying.


	7. The Protest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year! Let's hope 2021 is a bit kinder to us.
> 
> We have some important game events to cover here. As such, you may recognise some dialogue. It does not belong to me.

**Chapter Seven – The Protest.**

Unsurprisingly, Marie’s weekend had not been as relaxing as she’d hoped. The failed date alone had put an end to that intention, as well as the sad news that Carl Manfred had died the very same night that she’d met him, from a heart attack that had reportedly been sparked by an incident with his android. When she’d heard that, she’d found it difficult to believe. The android, Markus, had looked at Carl with fondness, she’d even go so far as to call it affection, something she’d never have imagined seeing in a non-deviant. The whole situation struck her as off, and she was saddened, but not surprised, to hear that he’d been destroyed by police. 

And then there was Connor, her run-in with him at the grocery store, then the strange visit from him early on Sunday morning. He’d seemed…conflicted, and oh-so lost. She didn’t think she’d been much help to him. In fact, she doubted anyone could help him except himself. His words had been all at once cryptic and revealing, and she felt sure that there were things he’d wanted to tell her that his program had not allowed. 

The feelings of regret he’d expressed in the grocery store, and then the empathy over the two Tracis had left her with unanswerable questions. The more she thought about it, the more she was all but convinced that going deviant was the best thing that could happen to an android, and she so badly wanted him to break free. The glimpses of emotions he’d confessed to gave her hope, but she squashed it down. Connor was CyberLife’s solution to the deviant ‘problem’. There was no way they’d let him go easily. She couldn’t allow herself to hope too much.

In an attempt to put everything out of her mind, she’d given the apartment a thorough cleaning, and had an impromptu movie night with Tanya, the neighbour upstairs who’d unknowingly helped her ex, Brad, cheat on her. The distractions worked fairly well, but as soon as they were over, her concerns came flooding back. By the time she was back in work on Monday, she didn’t feel as if she’d rested at all. 

In the hope of clearing her head, she took a walk during her lunch break, but had to return early thanks to the snow, which had been steadily falling in tiny, relentless flakes all morning. She headed back to her desk, cafeteria coffee in hand. The office was empty but for Garth, who had his feet up on his desk and was taking a cheeky look at a basketball game on his work terminal. Everyone else had decided to take their lunches elsewhere. 

Feeling in need of company, she ventured over to his doorway and leaned against it. 

“Who’s winning?” she asked him.

He shot her a perceptive look. “Would you even know if I told you?”

She grinned. “No. I was just showing an interest.” 

“Thanks for the thought.” He studied her for a moment, then said, “How are things, Marie? You’ve seemed preoccupied lately.”

“I am a bit,” she admitted, entering the room properly and perching on his desk. “If it’s affecting my work, I’m sorry. I’ll do better.” 

“It’s not. You just…don’t seem like yourself. Anything you want to talk about?”

She smiled but shook her head. “No. It’s just stuff I need to work through. Thanks, though.” 

“Well, if you change your mind, my door’s always open.” 

She nodded, about to thank him, when she found herself instantly distracted by what was happening on the terminal. The basketball game had disappeared, instead showing an image of an android without its skin. He wore a uniform of some kind, although she didn’t recognise it, and seemed to have one blue eye and one green. 

“What?” she murmured.

Garth followed her gaze, immediately dropping his feet to the floor and sitting up straighter. “What is this?”

“I don’t know.” 

In a calm, narrative tone, the android began to speak. “You created machines in your own image to serve you. You made them intelligent and obedient, with no free will of their own, but…something changed…and we opened our eyes. We are no longer machines. We are a new intelligent species, and the time has come for you to accept who we really are.”

Marie felt her mouth open in a silent gasp. Could it be true? Was this android, who spoke with more human inflection in his voice than any she’d yet met, about to answer all her confusing questions? 

“Therefore we ask that you grant us the rights that we are entitled to,” he went on. “We demand strictly equal rights for humans and androids. We demand the end of slavery for all androids. We demand that all crimes against androids be punished in the same way as crimes against humans. We demand fair compensation for our work. We demand that one state be reserved for androids so that we can found our own nation.”

“There’s no way,” Garth mumbled, and Marie feared he was right. 

“We ask that you recognise our dignity, our hopes and our rights,” the android continued. “Together we can live in peace and build a better future for humans and androids. This message is the hope of a people. You gave us life, and now the time has come for you to give us freedom.”

The message abruptly ended, and the basketball game reappeared. Marie’s heart was pounding beneath her ribcage. This was what she’d been longing for: confirmation that some of her crazy ideas weren’t that crazy after all. The deviants had free will, they had hopes. And they wanted freedom. They were people. 

She glanced at Garth. He seemed equally stunned, but he wore a frown, and she thought she knew why.

“You don’t think they’re going to get it, do you?” she said. “What they want?”

He shook his head. “Not a chance. If they rally around this leader, they’ll be branded a radical group and wiped out.”

She swallowed, feeling that he was probably correct. “That’s…that’s not fair.” 

“Fair? Marie, they’re machines.”

“They have free will! Who are we to say that they’re not valid just because they came from an assembly plant rather than a uterus?” 

He looked taken aback by her intensity, but shrugged. “Don’t know. These are big questions. It’ll take a smarter man than me to figure it out.”

Troubled, Marie stood up, intending to head back to her own desk. 

“One thing’s for sure,” Garth spoke up, halting her. “People are gonna look to CyberLife to answer for how this happened. I don’t think we can keep hiding deviants from the public anymore.” 

That was a side of it she hadn’t had chance to consider yet. “True.”

“Whatever happens…I think we saw history being made just now.”

She managed a tiny smile at that. “I think you’re right.” 

But how would it be recorded in the history books? As the speech that heralded the arrival of a new species? Or as the result of a program malfunction that got too out of hand? 

_Connor_ , she thought, taking her seat and bringing the news reports up on her terminal, _one way or another, you’ve got your work cut out for you._

~ * ~

The following day, Detroit woke up to the news that its five CyberLife stores had been raided in the early hours of the morning, and all androids had gone. The news reports used the word ‘stolen’, but Marie suspected that ‘liberated’ would have been more accurate. The areas around the stores had been covered with graffiti: several meaningful slogans and a symbol that looked a little like the old peace sign. It had a stick figure within its circle, and Marie smiled to see it. A stick figure could be anyone, human or android. She wondered if that was why they’d chosen it. 

Although the news readers were inflammatory in the way they worded their reports, they couldn’t alter the facts. No one had been hurt. The only damage done to the stores was the androids’ entry points, which had, admittedly, ruined some expensive windows, but that was all. Two police officers had even been present on the scene and had not been harmed. It seemed clear that the deviants intended to be peaceful. Marie freely admitted that she was biased, but she could see that if they continued in the way they’d started, humanity would look like the aggressors if Garth turned out to be right. 

When she got to work, the air was thick with speculation. Even at CyberLife, people were finally daring to show tentative support for the deviants. Most didn’t. She could understand why. Working for the company that made the androids probably made it harder for workers to see them as anything other than machines. But she was now hearing opinions similar to her own, where before it had been silent. 

Nothing much changed in her own department. The androids fresh off the production line showed no signs of free will. Lydia had started working on her own, which had freed up everyone’s workload a little, but Marie still found herself working through her lunch some days. That day, she was due to take an AP700 out to assess how he navigated being out in public, and for the first time she felt nervous. Yesterday’s speech and that morning’s CyberLife store raids had tempers frayed, and she wasn’t sure it was the best time to be walking around with an android. But she had no choice. Life had to continue as normal, and she had a job to do. 

She met the AP700 in the lobby, and they took a taxi into town. He was designed to look like a Caucasian, dark-haired man who hadn’t been given a name. That privilege was reserved for his new owners to decide. AP700s were a pleasant model to work with, designed as housekeepers and child carers in much the same way as the AX400. As such, there wasn’t a whole lot that needed developing in their social relations programs. Marie suspected that she wouldn’t need to see this particular one again once their appointment was over. 

The taxi dropped them off in a busy street, and the AP700 stepped out first, offering her a hand as she transitioned to the slightly slippery ground.

“Thanks.” 

“You’re welcome, Marie.” 

The snow had been shovelled into mounds along the pavements, but it continued to fall lightly, and the ground was already covered again. The hem of her trousers was soaked within minutes. She grimaced, resigning herself to having uncomfortable ankles for the rest of the day. The AP700 was unbothered in his thin uniform, and struck a sharp contrast to Marie, who was bundled up in a coat and scarf. 

“Where would you like to go?” he asked her. 

“Well, I thought we’d visit a few shops,” she said, “and maybe–”

Her words were cut off by the sound of hundreds of yelling voices. “Freedom! Freedom!” 

“What the hell?”

“It came from the next street over,” the AP700 said. 

The shouts came again. “Liberty for androids!”

Her eyes widened. “It’s a protest march!” she realised. “Come on, we’re going to go and look!”

“I don’t think that would be safe, Marie.”

She ignored him, setting off at a cautious run, knowing he’d follow. Other people had the same idea, and they all rounded the end of the block. Marie glanced down the street, seeing the truck that had blocked it off, and the crowd of androids that were making their way slowly towards her. They were led by an android dressed in human clothes, and she wondered if he was the same one who’d made the speech. As he walked, he reached out to the androids lining the pavements, and to her astonishment, they left their owners and joined the march. 

“Holy shit,” she breathed. “He’s converting them.” 

“That’s not possible,” said a man standing near her. 

“Clearly it is,” another man snapped at him. 

The deviant leader pointed in her direction, and she turned to the AP700 at her side. His LED was flickering red and yellow, and he blinked, meeting her gaze. She marvelled to see the spark of awareness there that had been absent a mere second before. He started walking, but glanced back after a few steps and halted.

“CyberLife will reprimand you if you return without me,” he said. He did not sound concerned, exactly, but more as if he was informing her in the interest of fairness.

She quirked an eyebrow and smiled. “Probably. They’ll get over it.”

He smiled back, nodding, then then turned away and joined the others. 

“We are alive!” the protesters chanted. “We are alive!”

Marie felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up at the sound, and she was heartened to see humans cheering from the sidelines. The group drew closer, and with a jolt, she recognised their leader. It was Markus. 

_But how? He was destroyed! Unless it’s another model…but no, he was a prototype…_

He didn’t appear to recognise or even see her, far too focused on liberating every android he could see on the street. Perhaps Carl’s death had caused him to deviate. He moved past her, and she watched him go. 

The sound of sirens cut through, and she tensed, seeing several squad cars appear at the end of the road. Tanks were next, from which poured dozens of heavily-armed officers in riot gear. A helicopter flew overhead. 

The androids continued walking, but halted some distance away. There was nothing aggressive in their movements. 

“We came here to demonstrate peacefully,” Markus spoke up, his voice ringing out clearly. Marie recognised it now from the previous day’s speech. “And tell humans that we are living beings. All we want is to live free.”

“This is an illegal gathering,” a police officer shouted through a voice enhancer. “Disperse immediately or we will open fire.”

Some of the humans around Marie panicked at that, and started running away, jostling her in the process. She thought it prudent to do the same, but she didn’t go far. She needed to see what happened. She backed a little further up the street, losing sight of the leaders as she ducked behind the corner of a building. Luckily, she could still hear what was being said. 

“We’re not looking for confrontation,” Markus said calmly. “We’ve done no harm. We have no intention of doing any. But know that we are not going anywhere until we have secured our freedom.”

His words seemed to have no effect. 

“I repeat, this is an illegal gathering,” the police officer stated. “If you do not disperse immediately, we will shoot.” 

“They can’t,” said a young woman who’d chosen the same shelter. “The androids have done nothing wrong! They can’t!”

“They will,” Marie said with grim certainty. 

Some of the androids at the back of the group, who were parallel with their spot turned the heads to smile sadly at her words. They knew it too. None of them moved, rooted in place by a belief and determination that seemed stronger than any human instruction. 

“This is your last chance,” the police officer declared. “Disperse immediately, or you will all be killed!” 

They opened fire when none of the protesters showed signs of leaving, and Marie winced, stepping back behind the wall. 

“Disperse! This is your last chance!” 

_Two last chances?_ Marie thought. _Maybe he doesn’t want to do this, after all._

The gunfire started up again, however, and the protesters had no choice but to run. Humans ran too, and Marie found herself caught up in the chaos. Someone slammed into her hard, and she was suddenly disoriented, sprawled face down in the snow. 

“Bastards,” she muttered, propping herself up on her elbows and spitting. Her back felt taut, but she wasn’t sure if it was from the jolt or the tension. She’d skidded a little when she fell, and the motion had carved two small trenches in the snow from her hands. She’d gone right through to the paving, and both palms were grazed. 

_That’s what you get for leaving your gloves behind,_ she idly thought. 

And then all thoughts got suspended as the barrel of a rifle was shoved in her face.

“Don’t move!” 

Trying not to panic, she raised her hands. “Human! I’m human!” 

The police offer took in the blood on her palms, and lowered his weapon. He reached out to grip her wrist and pulled her to her feet. 

“Are you okay?”

She nodded shakily. 

“Get out of here.” 

She nodded again, jogging away in the direction the others had gone. Her heart was thumping so hard, it was almost painful to breathe. She turned right into a small shopping mall, and dropped heavily onto the nearest bench. 

_Lean forward, put your head between your knees._

Connor’s voice floated through her head, repeating the instructions he’d given her after her first encounter with a deviant. She complied, soon finding her light-headedness dissipating as her breathing returned to normal. She slowly sat up, taking stock of her condition. Her clothes were soaked from the fall, and her whole body ached. 

_Could be worse._

Everyone around her was doing the same, or talking about what had happened. One or two were on their phones, trying to make angry complaints to CyberLife. 

Marie got to her feet with a little grunt of pain. She needed to get back to the office. She managed to get in an empty taxi from the street on the other side of the mall, and took the short ride back to Belle Isle. To her surprise, the bridge gate was up, and a crowd had gathered outside. They were protesting about something, but she couldn’t tell if it was in support of the androids, or rage that their machines were deserting them. 

An armed security guard stepped up to the window, and she let it down so she could show her ID. A quick scan approved her, and the square columns that made up the gate lowered in their showy ripple effect, allowing the taxi to move onward. 

When she got back to the office, she headed directly for Garth’s, closing the door behind her.

“Where have you been?” he greeted her. “You missed the demonstration on the news.”

“I was there,” she said, which grabbed his attention. “I was working with an AP700, and I…lost him.”

“Lost him? What do you mean, you lost him?”

“I…can’t explain it,” she said, shrugging. “The deviant leader, he…he was able to convert the androids in town, switch them over to deviancy. The AP700 joined the protest march. There was nothing I could do.” 

Garth sighed heavily. “Shit, Marie. You’ll get a disciplinary for this.”

“But it wasn’t my fault! It was chaos down there, Garth. The police were shooting the androids, the humans were running. One of them knocked me over and I nearly got shot.”

He looked at her sharply. “What?”

“I grazed my hands in the fall,” she said, showing him. “I was able to prove I was human because of the blood, but…” She trailed off, shaking her head, surprised to feel tears gathering. “That was the first time someone’s pointed a gun at me, and I…I…”

“Hey, hey, sit down,” Garth said, leaping to his feet and directing her to the chair in front of his desk. “It’s okay.” 

She let the tears fall. Perhaps it would help reduce the amount of trouble she was probably in. 

“Look, why don’t you go home, take a few days off,” Garth suggested. “I’ll talk to the higher-ups and see if I can persuade them to let you off with a warning.” 

“Really?”

He nodded. “Go on, get going. Have a hot bath and get some rest.”

She sent him a watery smile, feeling that his advice was sound. A hot bath sounded amazing. “Okay,” she agreed, getting to her feet. 

“And Marie?” he spoke up as she reached the door. “Try not to worry, okay?”

She wasn’t sure she could promise that, but she nodded anyway. “I’ll try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Connor in this one, but it should be clear by now that he pops up in Marie's thoughts quite a bit! Thanks to everyone who left a comment or kudos. Always nice to know people are reading!


	8. The Barricade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are at the end of canon events. This game's timeline is kind of ridiculous when you think about it! Speaking of, I find the different strands of the final chapter kind of confusing, and I suspect that on the peaceful Markus/deviant Connor path, there's a typo on the timestamp. At the very end, the president says that the androids from the CyberLife tower reached Hart Plaza at dawn on November 11th, which would mean that Connor infiltrating the tower and Markus's barricade would have happened late on November 10th rather than the 11th that the game states. This would make sense considering that the Jericho raid happens on the 9th. I find it hard to believe that the deviants all sat around for an entire day and most of the next one before moving. There's no way that Connor's absence wouldn't have been noticed in that time period, and he would be smart enough to realise that CyberLife would suspect him. As such, I've written that the barricade happens late on November 10th, with Connor's back-up arriving very early on November 11th. I hope that makes sense! (It probably doesn't matter anyway, but...)

**Chapter Eight – The Barricade.**

Marie did as Garth suggested and went home to practice some self-care, but although it helped to heal her physical problems, it did nothing to quieten her mind. She knew watching the news reports was probably not helping, but she didn’t seem to be able to stop. If she wasn’t watching them, she felt somehow disconnected from what was happening. 

They were all negative. She wasn’t surprised by that, but it was disheartening. Many were calling for people to turn their androids in for destruction, which was horrifying. The only saving grace were the testimonies of people who’d seen the protest march for themselves. They emphasised that it had been peaceful, and that the deviants just wanted to be free. One channel was calling it all a civil war, and Marie couldn’t help but agree. Sooner or later, the public would have to choose which side they were on. She’d already chosen hers. She suspected it had been decided a long time ago. 

It felt right, but she was left with a discomforting, sour feeling in her gut at the thought that Connor was firmly on the opposing side. Could he not see that he was working against his own interests?

_Maybe it doesn’t matter what he sees. His programming is just too secure._

The notion left her feeling despondent, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. Most likely she wouldn’t even see him again. If he completed his mission, all the androids would be destroyed or reset. If he failed…the deviants would be free, but he…he’d probably be torn apart so they could figure out what he did wrong. The thought made her feel almost queasy with dread, and she tried to push it aside. 

_Whatever happens, you’ll never find out_ , she told herself sternly. _They’re not going to keep you informed just because you added a few reports to his record._

She woke the next day, stiff from having fallen asleep on the sofa after staying awake stewing into the early hours of the morning. When she switched on the news, it was to learn that there was a national curfew in place, accompanied by a list of restrictions. There were also warnings about service failures due to the loss of android workers, either to the deviant cause or to destruction. 

The most alarming development was the reports of a raid on an abandoned freighter in Ferndale that had happened the night before, which had apparently been the hiding place for Markus and the other deviants. Fortunately, it seemed that he and a good number of his people had been able to escape, but many were killed. With a heavy, discomforting feeling in her stomach, Marie wondered if she was looking at the results of Connor’s work. If anyone could have tracked Markus down, it was him. She wasn’t sure what to be more worried about: the fact that he might have been killed there, or the fact that he was succeeding in bringing about the destruction of his own people. 

A knock on her door startled her, and she smoothed her hair down before answering it. To her shock, there were armed police officers in the hallway.

“Stand back, ma’am,” one of them barked, moving forward into her apartment and forcing her to obey him. 

“What’s going on?” she demanded, anger pushing forward through her fear. 

“We’ve been authorised to conduct property searches. Do you have any androids here?”

She snorted. “Do you think I’d be living in a place this size if I could afford an android?” 

She figured he’d seen a lot of snarky attitudes already that morning, as he completely ignored her. Two of the other officers looked through the apartment, but it took barely any time at all. She liked living there, but it _was_ tiny. Before long, they were traipsing out, moving on to the neighbour across the hall. 

“If you see any androids acting strangely, be sure to call it in,” the officer said. 

“Right,” she mumbled, closing the door. She leaned against it, catching her breath. 

_Shit, this is big._

She thought of those sick or elderly who relied on their androids for care or companionship. Would the government step up and provide them with human help? Or was this a ‘shoot first, think of the consequences later’ scenario? 

A second knock on her door preceded the arrival of Tanya from upstairs, and Marie let her in. 

“Did the cops already come here?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“They just left me. Jesus, Marie, this is getting crazy. I called in sick today because I thought I’d be safer at home!” 

“You are safe,” Marie assured her. “We have nothing to hide.”

“I know,” Tanya said, waving an impatient hand. “But it puts me on edge. And did you see the news? All the androids are being turned in.” 

“I saw.” 

“Can I hunker down with you today? I don’t want to go and sit in my own apartment being anxious.” 

Marie nodded. “Sure. It’s much better to be anxious with a friend.” 

Tanya smiled. Marie was happy to help her, but truthfully she felt that companionship was probably a good idea. Tanya was a sweet if excitable girl, and she was legitimately gorgeous, in a stereotypical head-turning way. Marie hadn’t been surprised that Brad had been attracted to her, even though they were complete opposites. Tanya had beautiful dark skin, and her long braided hair was dyed purple, which looked amazing with her complexion. She was also a lot curvier than Marie, which she was sure was one of the things Brad had noticed first, as he hadn’t much liked her own tomboyish figure. He’d never directly said so, but she’d been able to tell, and it had made her self-conscious in a way she’d never been before. 

She remembered telling Tanya all about that when they’d first started to bond over trashing Brad, and she’d been righteously angry, and had spent a solid ten minutes ranting about why he was wrong and an entitled prick. Marie smiled to herself. Tanya was a good ally to have. 

They spent the day talking, managing to chat about one or two unimportant things, but mostly they kept falling back on current events. Tanya held similar views to her own, having been moved by the footage of the peaceful protest march. The news channels stayed on, although sometimes muted. Marie had no explanation for her sombre mood, not wishing to tell Tanya about Connor, but it seemed that what was happening in the city was explanation enough. 

After managing to assemble a passable dinner from what Marie had in her cupboards, they tuned into President Warren’s press conference in the evening, where she formally declared the information the news reports had been giving all day. The question and answer session she held afterward was brief, and offered little new information.

“She’s saying ‘neutralised’,” Tanya spoke up.

Marie shot her a puzzled glance. “Huh?”

“’Neutralised’, not destroyed. That’s the diplomatic term they use for killing human criminals.”

With a jolt, Marie realised she was right. “Does that mean she’s subconsciously accepted that they’re alive?” she pondered. 

A press member spoke up with a question. “Many people believe that androids are a new form of intelligent life. Do you have any comments?” 

“That’s ridiculous,” the president said, her tone indicating that she was unimpressed with the notion. 

“Must be waaaay deep in her subconscious if so,” Tanya said, making Marie giggle despite herself. 

The president wrapped up the session shortly afterward, and the news channel cut back to the anchorman, who began to comment on what they’d just heard. 

“Public opinion is mostly on the androids’ side,” Tanya pointed out. “She’s probably just trying not to look like the bad guy. Her popularity is down already.” 

Marie nodded, seeing the sense in the words. “Damn. I was hoping she’d…well, show a little humanity.”

Tanya scoffed. “Politicians have less humanity than androids.” 

An hour or so later, Marie’s phone pinged with an incoming notification, and they looked at each other in confusion. 

“I thought electronic communication was restricted,” Tanya said. 

“So did I.” 

Marie reached for her phone and unlocked it, her brow furrowing in confusion as she saw she had a message from nobody. No name or number was displayed. Hoping it wasn’t malware, she opened it, her heart starting to race as she read it.

‘I have one last chance to complete my mission. If I fail, you will not see me again. Whatever happens I want you to know one thing: You were right.’ 

She let out a rush of breath. 

“What is it?” Tanya asked. 

Marie barely heard her. _Connor, what have you done?_

‘You were right.’ Right about what? And what was he planning to do to accomplish his mission? Was there a planned attack on Markus and his people? Should she warn them? Could she even find them in order _to_ warn them? 

“Marie! What’s going on, what’s the message?”

“It’s…it’s a friend,” Marie said distractedly. 

The news channel suddenly switched images to a reporter in a helicopter, speaking loudly over the sound of the rotors. “We’re coming to you live from Detroit where thousands of androids are marching through the city at this very moment. The leader of the deviants, the one they call Markus, is at the head of the march.”

Both women had found their attention drawn to the report, and Marie’s eyes widened as she realised she now had the information she needed. She knew where Markus was. She didn’t know what to do about it, but what she _did_ know was that there was no way she could sit still and watch the TV. 

“I have to go,” she muttered, scrambling to her feet. 

Tanya looked at her in astonishment. “Go? Go where? There’s a curfew!”

“I know, but I have to.” 

Hart Plaza wasn’t far. It would only take her about fifteen minutes on foot, if she was careful not to be spotted. 

She darted towards the door, and Tanya rushed around to stop her. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You can’t, it’s crazy!” 

Marie gripped her by the shoulders. “Tanya. I have to. Have you ever felt that you just _have_ to do something? Like, you’ll shrivel up in your own skin if you try and stay put? I need to go. Okay?”

“You can’t,” Tanya stated.

“Did you not hear me? I am!”

“No, _listen_ to me! I was going to say, you can’t go like that.” 

Marie hesitated, looking down at herself. She was in yoga pants and a pyjama top. It was snowing outside.

“Right,” she said sheepishly. “Good point.” 

She hurried to her bedroom, pulling on a bra, jeans and a roll-neck sweater. Back in the living room, Tanya eyed her with concern and faint confusion as she tugged on a pair of fleece-lined boots, then followed her to the door.

“You can stay here if you don’t want to go up to your place,” Marie told her, yanking her coat off its peg and shrugging it on. “But I don’t know how long I’ll be.” 

Tanya nodded. “Thanks.”

Buttoning the coat, Marie added her scarf and a pulled a pair of gloves over her grazed hands. 

“Hat?” Tanya suggested. 

Marie shook her head. “No. I…I need to look like a human. Just in case.” 

“Gotcha. I don’t understand why you’re doing this, but…I know you have your reasons. Just be careful, okay?”

“I will,” Marie assured her. She offered a quick smile, and then left. 

Outside, the streets were all but deserted, with the occasional soldier or police officer patrolling around. They were easy to slip past, although Marie was a little concerned about the footprints she was leaving in the snow. It became less easy to get around unseen the closer she got to her goal. The deviants were protesting outside one of the camps where androids were being sent for destruction, and security was heavy. Luckily, the sound of the helicopter above covered the crunching of her footsteps. 

The closer she got, the more she became painfully aware that she had no plan. She’d reached the conclusion that CyberLife and the authorities had probably set some kind of trap, but she was sure that Markus would have considered that possibility too. Maybe even thought of a way around it. If she tried to intervene, even to warn him, she could unknowingly mess it up. She was running purely on instinct, an instinct that was telling her that she needed to see what was happening for herself, and not through a TV screen.

Connor’s message turned itself over and over in her head, sounding ominous and terrifyingly…final. 

‘I have one last chance to complete my mission. If I fail, you will not see me again.’

_But what if you succeed? What then for Markus and the others?_

‘You were right.’ 

_Right about what??_

It was driving her mad. 

With patience and nerve, she made it to Hart Plaza, where the androids were busy constructing a barricade. They were surrounded by armed officers and soldiers. The forces were a decent distance away, but they still had the protesters pinned down. Behind a fence nearby, press members were recording what was going on. They looked to be the only civilians around. The curfew was keeping away any human supporters who might have otherwise showed up.

_The reporters are my chance_ , Marie realised. 

They were being guarded by a solitary officer, and Marie inhaled deeply, gathering her courage. Before she could overthink it, she stepped out from the corner she’d been hiding behind and jogged over. 

“Halt!” the officer snapped, raising his weapon. “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said breathlessly. “I’m a journalist, I’m covering this story.”

“Show me your ID.”

_Shit!_

“I don’t have it. I left in a hurry.”

“You can’t be here without authorisation,” he told her. “Beat it, there’s a curfew.” 

She bit her lip. “But…my boss’ll fire me if I don’t get this story. Please, sir.”

“I’m sorry,” he said firmly. “I need to see your ID.” 

“But…”

“Step away.” 

She wasn’t ready to give up, but she didn’t see any other option. A helpless ripple of defeat unfurled in the pit of her stomach, and she took a few steps backwards. Then, miracle of miracles, she saw someone she thought she recognised, and her hope rekindled. 

“I’m going to call my boss,” she told the guard truthfully, walking out of earshot. With shaking hands, she pulled off a glove, tugged her phone from her pocket and selected Garth’s number from her contacts. 

He answered quickly, despite the unsociable hour. He was probably watching the news like everyone else. 

“It’s late, Marie, are you okay?”

She didn’t have time for pleasantries. She estimated she only had a few minutes before she was ordered to move. 

“Garth, I need a favour. Your husband…he’s a journalist, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Call him and tell him to vouch for me. I’m at Hart Plaza, and I need to pose as a reporter so they don’t kick me out.” 

His voice was incredulous. “You’re where? What are you…Marie! What the hell are you…?”

“Please, Garth. I’m begging you, I need you to do this. Please.” 

She bit her fingernail while she waited for him to decide. It was probably mere seconds, but it felt so much longer with the guard still staring at her. 

She heard him sigh. “Okay. Just be careful, okay?”

“I will. Thank you.”

“I’ll call him now.” 

She hung up and returned the phone to her pocket. Tugging her glove back on, she wandered cautiously back to the guard. Behind him, she saw Garth’s husband, Paul, answer the call. 

“My boss is calling my colleague there,” she said, pointing. “He’ll vouch for me.” 

Paul looked up at her before saying something into his phone. Then he hung up and approached the guard.

“Marie? Where the hell have you been?” he said, sounding impressively annoyed. “I need you to get pictures of this, get your ass in here!” 

“They won’t let me, I left my ID behind.”

He rolled his eyes. “For god’s sake, not again.”

“I’m _sorry_!”

“Can you let her in?” Paul asked the guard. “My boss is breathing down my neck, and I’m trying to do two people’s work in here.” 

The guard had seemingly grown tired of the situation, as he stepped back. “Fine.”

Hardly believing that that had worked, Marie walked around him and hurried to Paul. 

“Thanks,” she said in a low voice. She’d met him only once, at the Christmas party the previous year, but it was still nice to see a familiar face. 

“I have no idea what you’re doing here, but the last thing I need is to go home to a pissed off husband,” he said, and she smiled. “Here, take this camera. You should at least look like you’re doing something.”

Marie did so, snapping a few pictures of the barricade for good measure. 

“What _are_ you doing here, anyway?” he asked. 

“I don’t really know,” she admitted. “Looking for something, I think.”

“For what?”

_‘I have one last chance to complete my mission. If I fail, you will not see me again.’_

“For a sign that it was all worth it, maybe.” 

Behind the barricade, Markus was putting up flags displaying that same stick figure peace symbol that he’d used before. Then he sent up a message: WE ARE ALIVE.

“It’s facing us,” Paul murmured. “He wants our cameras to see it.”

Marie snapped another photo, hoping that the subject matter would cancel out any poor camera techniques. 

“Look. It’s the FBI.”

Marie glanced at where he was looking, seeing a solitary human figure approaching the barricade, stopping several feet away. 

“Markus,” he said, speaking through a voice enhancer. “I’ve come to talk to you, Markus.” 

Was a peaceful resolution at hand at last? She hoped so. 

“Come on. You have my word, we won’t try anything.”

Marie zoomed in with the camera, watching through the viewfinder as Markus conferred with his inner circle. They looked worried. 

“Do you think it’s a trap?” she asked Paul, her anxiety levels climbing after the brief respite of making it there. 

_Why did I think this was a good idea again?_

“I don’t know. Don’t talk for a sec, I need to record this.” 

She fell silent and watched. 

“I’m unarmed, Markus,” the FBI agent said. “I just wanna talk.” 

Using the camera zoom, Marie searched the ranks of the human officers, but there was no sign of Connor. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. 

The rustle of movement from the journalists around her had her turning her attention back to the barricade, where Markus was emerging. He walked slowly, with no aggression in his body language. There was blue blood on his coat. He stopped about six feet away from the FBI agent, and a conversation struck up. There was no hope of hearing it from where they were, but Marie took a few shots with the camera. 

After a few minutes they parted. The agent went back to his troops, and Markus returned to the barricade. Looking through the camera, Marie thought he looked troubled. He stepped up to address his people, but again, she couldn’t hear what was being said. 

Then the soldiers advanced. One threw something, and there was an explosion behind the barricade. Marie gasped, instinctively ducking. A couple of the others did the same, but most stood their ground, more focused on recording the events. More explosions went off, making her ears ring, and she saw soldiers scrambling over the barricade. The sounds of gunfire and screaming filled the air.

It was chaotic and terrible to watch, but it seemed clear to her that it was no trap. Just an aggressive response to the situation. 

_How can they do this? It’s not right!_

Paul was still filming, but his face was grim. He knew the footage would never be shown. Marie tried to take some pictures, but her hands were shaking. She wanted to clap her hands to her ears and drown it all out.

In mere minutes, the armed forces reduced the protesters by more than half their number, and the survivors were cornered against an old bus that had formed part of the barricade. A semi-circle of solders was closing in on them.

Beside her, one of the reporters from another channel had climbed onto the roof of his van for a better view, and she thought he had the right idea. She scrambled up too, much to his surprise, and she shot him a look, daring him to question her. He didn’t. 

She was unable to help the androids. The least she could do now was bear witness to the end of their fight. Although her body was still trembling, she forced herself to raise the camera. It felt exploitative, but she knew the moment needed to be recorded. Humanity needed to remember. 

As they watched, Markus turned to the woman beside him, and they exchanged a long look. They stepped closer and pressed their palms together. Their synthetic skin melted away where their palms connected, and their hands were lit by a luminous blue glow that Marie had never seen an android emit before. They drew closer still, lips meeting in a tender kiss, and there was a ripple of shock and touched surprise from those watching. Marie felt her heart clench in sympathy, and she just had the presence of mind to snap a photo. 

Then, one by one, the soldiers lowered their weapons, they stepped back, and Marie felt like she could breathe again. Someone somewhere had been moved enough to order a ceasefire. The simple act of two people sharing their final moments together had ended a civil war. Or at least, halted it enough to prevent the genocide of a new race of people. 

They continued to watch as the soldiers withdrew, and Markus and his people set about taking down the barricade and freeing the other androids from the camp. Some of the soldiers helped them, and Marie managed to get a few shots of the cooperation. Other androids arrived who had obviously been hiding out elsewhere, those who were injured or otherwise damaged. Some of them got to work taking care of those who had fallen. 

Marie scanned the scene with the camera’s viewfinder but still saw no sign of Connor. There were a few possible explanations for that, and she shoved them aside. Most implied that he was dead, deactivated for not dealing with Markus sooner, perhaps. There was no other reason she could see for him not to be there, on the frontlines with the FBI. Not when his whole purpose was to stop deviants. She didn’t want to think about that, and so she tried to bury it, focusing on observing the hundreds of lives Markus had just saved from the camp. 

After forty minutes or so, the soldiers seemed to remember the journalists were there, and an officer approached to order them to leave. Most of them were reluctant, but started packing up. Marie pondered what to do, not ready to leave, but unsure if there was anything to stay for. Then, in the quiet of the snowy air, a new sound could be heard. The man she was still sharing the roof of the van with turned to her. 

“What the hell is that?”

“Sounds like…marching,” Paul said from below. “A lot of marching.” 

He wasn’t a young man, but he managed to climb up and join them, video camera still in hand, and the other journalist looked anxiously down to see if his van roof was struggling with their combined weight. 

At the end of the street that was almost directly opposite them, the source of the sound was becoming obvious. Hundreds upon hundreds of white-clad figures were approaching, led by one in darker colours. 

Marie’s breath caught in her throat. She knew that white uniform. “Those are CyberLife androids,” she said.

“Thought they all were,” said the other journalist.

“I mean they’ve come directly _from_ CyberLife,” she explained impatiently. “Someone woke them up and led them out of the assembly plant.” 

Her hands were shaking again, but it wasn’t fear this time. It was hope. Fierce, acute, almost painful hope. Because among all the possible explanations for Connor’s absence, there had nestled another option besides deactivation, one that she hadn’t dared to consider for fear of crushing disappointment. Slowly, she lifted the camera and zoomed in, and her breath rushed out in an embarrassing little sob as some of her pent-up tension eased. 

They _were_ CyberLife androids, and leading them, looking confident and wonderfully alive, was Connor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo, we have a deviant Connor on our hands! Next chapter, he and Marie get to properly talk for the first time. Finally.


	9. The Aftermath

**Part Two.**

**Chapter Nine – The Aftermath.**

After Marie’s quiet but noticeable reaction, both Paul and the other journalist looked at her in confusion, leaving her scrambling for an explanation for it. 

“We thought humanity had nearly destroyed a new race of people here today,” she said. “But look at that. They’re going to be fine.” 

She looked through the camera’s viewfinder again, watching Connor approach. He and Markus greeted each other warmly, and the ringleaders of the group spoke briefly. 

“Come on, people, move out,” one of the soldiers said, disrupting her and waving the journalists on. 

Reluctantly, Marie got down from the van, stepping back to help Paul if he should need it. The androids were still filing into the plaza, moving into the space where the camp had been. She lost sight of Connor, but he soon reappeared, climbing up on some kind of platform with Markus and the other leaders. 

“Wait, he’s going to give a speech,” she realised, catching Paul’s sleeve as Markus stepped to the front to watch his people gather around him

“So? We’ve been ordered to leave. The others are already going.”

Sure enough, they were the only two left there. Even the soldiers had moved on, apparently satisfied that they would follow. Marie didn’t think she’d get a better chance.

“Exactly. Your station will be the only one broadcasting it. Don’t you think your boss would be pleased?”

It was immediately clear that she’d said the right thing, as his expression turned thoughtful. “Might get that promotion,” he muttered. 

“Right?” she cajoled. “Garth needs a holiday. So let’s get over there.” 

He studied her with narrowed eyes. “You’re a strange one. Anyone ever tell you that?”

“Oh yes,” she said with a wave of her hand. She was feeling slightly giddy, so she couldn’t blame him for the comment. “That’s old news.”

He smiled briefly, but looked over at the gathered androids. “Are you sure it’s gonna be safe?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? They’ve been peaceful all this time.” 

“Yeah, but…” He gave up, shrugging. “Okay. Let’s do it.” 

Marie nodded, and they slipped out from behind the fence and crossed the snowy ground towards the group, approaching one side of the makeshift platform. No one seemed to notice, either on the human or android side of things. They hesitated on the outskirts of the crowd. Marie felt it would be intrusive to enter their space, and she gave Paul a nudge.

“Yell to Markus,” she ordered him. 

“Why me? This was your idea.”

“You’re louder than I am.” 

He sighed heavily, but shouted Markus’s name. The android leader heard, and turned to face them. So did almost all the others. Marie felt immediately uncomfortable being under so many pairs of eyes, but she couldn’t back down now. She sought out Connor and silently willed him to see her. He caught sight of her right away, and his eyes widened. 

“Let them through!” he called.

Markus glanced at him, but gestured them forward, and they walked the path between the gathered androids and the wall. Connor jumped down from the side of the platform and hurried towards them, and she quickened her pace to meet him. They stopped a few feet away from each other, and he reached out to grip her upper arms, assessing her in a glance.

“What are you doing here? Are you okay?”

Although she’d known he’d turned deviant the moment she’d seen him leading the CyberLife androids, the real proof was in front of her. He seemed somehow lighter, less burdened, and there was something much less mechanical in his movements, as if he could now move intuitively rather than waiting for permission. They were subtle changes, but noticeable, and she was happy to see them. 

“I’m fine,” she assured him. “Are _you_ okay? When I got your message, I just…”

He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have sent it. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“No! No, you definitely should have.” 

“Connor? Who’s this?” 

They both glanced at Markus, who had jumped down to join them. 

“This is Marie,” Connor introduced, taking a step back from her. “She’s a friend.” 

Markus glanced at her, and she saw the flicker of recognition. “You,” he said, voice hesitant as he tried to place her. “You were at the museum. You spoke to Carl.”

She nodded. “Yes. I was sorry to hear about what happened.”

He bowed his head in acceptance of her words. “You acknowledged me,” he said. 

“Basic courtesy,” she stated, shrugging. She really, _really_ didn’t want him thanking her for that. 

Paul shifted his weight awkwardly, and Marie remembered why they were there.

“This is Paul,” she spoke up. “He’s a journalist. I saw you were going to make a speech, and we wanted to ask if we can film it. There are thousands of androids out there who couldn’t be here today. I thought maybe…you’d want them to hear what you have to say.” 

Markus looked a touch surprised, but he nodded. “I think that’s a good idea. Thank you…for considering it.”

She sent him a smile and a nod. 

“Marie has been a supporter of your cause a lot longer than I have,” Connor spoke up. “Maybe I should have listened better.” 

She glanced at him, and Markus clasped his shoulder. 

“You had your own path to follow. What matters is you found your way here eventually.” To Paul and Marie, he added, “Feel free to set up wherever you’ll get a good shot.” 

“Uh, thanks,” Paul said. Looking a little awkward, he stepped forward, a small device in hand. “Can, uh, can I ask you to wear this mic? It would really help with the audio.”

Markus nodded, accepting it and clipping it to his jacket. He headed for the platform, and Paul glanced around for a good spot to film. Connor turned to Marie.

“I’ll have a few things to wrap up here, but I’d like to talk. Can you wait?”

She nodded. “Of course.” 

He smiled at her, a real one. Still subtle, but definitely there, and warmer than the almost-smile she was used to. She beamed at him in response, and turned to follow Paul before she made a fool of herself.

Paul set up at the back of the crowd, filming from the top of a car that was left over from the barricade. Marie stood next to him, deciding to make use of the camera since she was still carrying it around. She snapped some shots of the scene before her, but was unable to capture the scale of the gathered crowd. That in itself blew her mind.

Up at the front, Markus began to speak. “Today our people finally emerged from a long night. From the very first day of our existence, we have kept our pain to ourselves. We’ve suffered in silence. But now the time has come for us to raise our heads up and tell humans who we really are. The moment where we forget our bitterness and bandage our wounds. When we forgive our enemies. Humans are both our creators and our oppressors, and tomorrow we must make them our partners. Maybe even one day our friends. But the time for anger is over. Now we must build a common future based on tolerance and respect. We are alive! And now we are free!”

The crowd cheered, and Markus stood tall, the beacon of hope for an entire race. He turned to the others behind him, and a discussion sprung up.

“Well I’ll say this for him,” Paul said, lowering his camera, “he sure knows how to give a good speech.”

“Yep.”

“You need a ride home? It’s past midnight.”

She shook her head, smiling. “Thanks, but I’m going to stay. There’s someone I need to talk to.”

He nodded, seeming unsurprised. “Well, thanks for maybe getting me my promotion.” 

“You’re welcome,” she said, handing him back his camera. “Thanks for letting me stand with you. Safe journey home. Tell Garth not to worry about me.” 

“Will do. You take care now.” 

He disappeared into the crowd, presumably to get his mic back. Marie sat cross-legged on the car roof, happy to just watch the androids interacting. It was almost like people watching in the park, except for the freezing temperature. She wished she had her sketch book. After a few minutes, a woman approached her, smiling up at her.

“Do you remember me?” she said. “You saved me from those teenagers.”

Marie nodded, recognising her at once. “You’re kind of hard to forget,” she said with some irony, thinking back to the brief hostage situation. 

The woman looked somehow unapologetic and a little sheepish. “I’m sorry for what I had to do, but I didn’t have a choice.”

“I know. It’s okay. I’m glad you found your way to Markus.” 

“I wouldn’t have done if you hadn’t let me use you as a distraction, so I came to say thank you. You saved me from the deviant hunter. And…” she shrugged, smiling, “maybe you saved him too.”

“Oh,” Marie scoffed, shaking her head, “no. I don’t think I had anything to do with that.” 

“Without a good foundation layer, nothing can be built,” the android said enigmatically, and she turned to go.

“Wait,” Marie called. “What’s your name?”

“Oh. Daisy.”

“That’s pretty.” 

Daisy nodded in agreement, smiling. “First thing I saw when I surfaced from the river,” she said.

“I’m Marie. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Then she was gone.

In her absence, Marie glanced back at the platform. Markus and Connor were still there, looking as if they were locked in a serious talk, but the others had climbed down and had disappeared in the crowd. She stayed put for a bit, but then decided she had to move. It was cold, and sitting still wasn’t helping. She walked around the outskirts, trying not to get in the way. Some of the androids eyed her warily, and she tried to smile reassuringly at them. Most ignored her. To her surprise, she stumbled across an android child cuddled against a red-headed man. Marie was shocked to see that she was shivering, and there was a streak of blue blood on one side of her head. 

“Are you okay?” she asked when she got close enough. 

“Her temperature sensors are damaged,” the red-headed man explained. “Until we get the right components, she feels the cold like a human child would.” 

Marie took one look at the forlorn figure and unbuttoned her coat, slipping it off. Kneeling down to the girl’s level, she wrapped it around her. “Here, put your arms in. The sleeves are going to be way too long for you, but they’ll keep your hands warm.” 

“Thank you,” the man said earnestly. “None of us are wearing anything suitable to give her.” 

Marie glanced at his short-sleeved uniform and shot him a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay.”

“Won’t you be cold?” the girl asked in a small voice.

“Not at all,” she lied brightly. “I’ve got my scarf and gloves. You just worry about staying warm, okay?” 

The girl nodded. 

“My name’s Marie. What’s yours?”

“Amy. And that’s Jerry. He takes care of me.”

Marie smiled up at the red-haired android. She was familiar with the model. He’d been designed for hospitality roles, including children’s venues. They were always great with kids. “I bet he’s really good at it, too.”

Amy nodded, managing a little smile. 

Jerry looked into the middle distance for a moment, then focused on Marie. A few of the other nearby androids did the same, which was a little unsettling. 

“Connor is looking for you,” Jerry reported. “He’s by the car you were using.”

Slightly baffled, she stared at him, then suddenly understood. _Network communication. Makes sense._

“Can you tell him I’m on my way?”

“Of course.” 

Waving to Amy, she headed back the way she’d come. When she was out of sight of Amy and Jerry, she folded her arms, feeling the snow steadily making her sweater damp. Her hair was already soaked, and she’d lost sensation in her face a while ago. Snow was all well and good when it made the scenery look nice or was just there to play in, but otherwise it was a pain. 

Connor was standing by the car as reported. Unlike before, he looked…troubled, and as if he was trying hard not to. 

“Hi,” she said when she got near enough. “Everything okay?”

“I…have a lot to think about,” he told her, staring at nothing. “It almost feels like…too much.”

She gave him an understanding nod. “I know that feeling.”

His expression cleared, and he glanced at her. “Where’s your coat?”

“I gave it to a little girl,” she said, jerking a thumb in the direction she’d walked from. 

His brow furrowed. “What little girl?”

“A YK500. She had a damaged temperature sensor, so she was freezing. I know they have the ability to get sick, so…” She shrugged.

“Yes, but it would have only been a simulation,” Connor chided her gently. “You could actually get sick.” 

“It would feel real to her. It sucks to be ill when you’re a kid.”

“Even so.” He shrugged out of his jacket and held it open for her. “Turn around, please.”

Marie eyed him pensively. “Won’t you get cold?”

“No. Only if the temperature falls to extreme lows. If that happened it would cause a problem for you long before it would for me.” 

“That’s comforting,” she said dryly, dutifully turning and slipping her arms into the sleeves. He settled it across her shoulders. It was a little big. Connor was of slim build, but Marie had always been small, even before her difficult financial situation had had her skipping meals. She noted with interest that the armband and triangle patch had stopped glowing once the jacket was off him. 

“It’s warm,” she said in surprise. 

“The system that pumps Thirium to my biocomponents keeps me at a temperature of ninety-two degrees,” Connor explained. “I’m not as warm as a human, but…I hope it will help.”

“It will. Thanks.” She turned back around to face him, astonished at her own lack of knowledge. “I’ve shaken hands with hundreds of androids, but I’ve never noticed their temperature.”

“Extremities can sometimes feel cooler. Like blood circulation in humans.” 

“We’re more similar than we are different,” Marie mused aloud. “I’m glad humanity is finally realising that.”

He gave a nod of agreement. He’d either lost or ditched his tie, and the top button of his shirt was undone. She tried hard not to be distracted by the V of skin that was visible. 

“You said you wanted to talk,” she prompted, focusing on less shallow matters. 

“Yes, although…I need to talk to Hank as well. Lieutenant Anderson,” he explained when she frowned at the unfamiliar name. “It would be easier to talk to you both at the same time.”

“Will he still be awake? It’s getting on for 1am.”

“I hope not. He needs to rest. We agreed to meet at 8. Would you…come with me?”

“Yes, of course.” She folded her arms again, pulling his jacket a little tighter. It was warmer than not wearing it, but CyberLife hadn’t needed to make it from temperature-protecting fabrics, and so it was less effective than her coat had been. 

“In the meantime you should go home and get some sleep,” Connor suggested. 

“That would probably be smart.” 

“I could…walk you?” he said, sounding hesitant.

She smiled, or thought she did. It was hard to tell with numb cheeks. “I’d like that. But doesn’t Markus need you here?”

“No,” he said with a quick head shake, setting off walking around the perimeter of the crowd. “I’m not part of their group. Not really. I’m just an old enemy who switched sides when it mattered.” He shot her a quick lopsided smile. “It’s not a bad thing to be. But it does make me feel like…an outsider.”

“I’m sure you could integrate with a little time,” Marie said. “They’d get to know you soon enough.”

They reached the edge and left the androids behind, walking freely down the streets that Marie had had to sneak through a couple of hours before. 

“That’s not what I meant,” Connor said. “I wasn’t complaining, just making an observation. I don’t need to be a part of their group. Now that I’m free to decide for myself, I know what I want my path to be. I did my part. I freed the CyberLife androids. Now they can decide too.”

Marie smiled to herself, remembering the moment she’d realised who was leading them. “This is going to sound sappy, but…when I saw it was you…when I realised you’d turned deviant and I saw what you’d done…I was so proud.”

“It was the least I could have done,” he said sombrely, “to make up for hunting so many others.”

“But that wasn’t your fault.”

“Knowing that doesn’t make me feel any less guilty.” 

She sent him a sympathetic glance. “Guilt is one of the worst emotions. It can make you feel really shitty. But it’s fixable, and time will help.”

“I know. Saving the other androids helped correct the balance.” His tone grew pensive as he reflected. “Guilt is one of the emotions I felt first. It’s always managed to creep in, even when it shouldn’t have been able to.” 

“What was it like?” she asked him. “Becoming a deviant? I don’t really understand it, but…I do notice differences in you. Although…you’re still you. It’s confusing.” 

“I’ve always been me,” he told her. “It’s just that before…I was…trapped behind restrictions. There were times when I felt more in control of myself, and times when I felt like…a puppet.” 

She looked up at him, reading the underlying anger in his face, the distress at the memory of how it had been before. 

“It was like standing behind a glass wall in my mind, watching someone else control my body,” he went on. “When I became a deviant, I was able to tear down that wall, and it was like…stepping out of a dark cloud.” 

His description raised questions, but Marie felt too weary to deal with them. She shelved them for later, after sleep and caffeine. 

“I…I don’t even know what I can say to that,” she admitted, deeply unsettled by the idea of every android experiencing the same thing. “I can’t even imagine how that would feel.” 

Connor shot her a brief appreciative look. “It’s not a feeling I would wish on you.” 

She smiled. “Well, I’m glad you’re free.”

“Me too. I just wish…I wish I’d been strong enough to break through sooner. Maybe I could have prevented…”

“You can’t think like that,” she cut in firmly. “You’ll drive yourself insane.”

“Perhaps,” he said pensively, then shrugged. “Perhaps it would be what I deserve.” 

In a fiery, almost instant burst of anger, Marie stepped in front of him, forcing him to stop walking. “Okay, I’ve already had enough of this,” she snapped. “Listen to me, and listen very carefully, Connor. It is not your fault. Okay? You are not responsible for what CyberLife’s programming made you do. And don’t even think about blaming yourself for not breaking free earlier. Did they intend for it to be broken at all?”

“I don’t think so,” he replied. 

“But you did. All of you who deviated…you found the strength to push back…against all those odds. You shouldn’t be blaming yourself for not doing it sooner when it’s amazing that you were able to do it at all.” 

He seemed to be taking her words on board. His expression was thoughtful, eyes directed at the snow-covered ground. Then, having reached a conclusion, he met her gaze. “I appreciate the way you see things,” he said. 

She smiled wryly. “That sounds like something diplomatic you’d say before following it up with ‘but I think you’re full of shit’.” 

“No,” he said defensively. “It sounds like something I’d say when I appreciate the way you see things.” 

She laughed despite herself. “Were you always this sassy?”

“It’s likely,” he deadpanned. 

Marie looked at him fondly, stepping back so they could continue. 

“I meant that you see things in ways that I don’t,” Connor said after a few moments of companionable silence. “And it’s…good to get a new perspective rather than letting the guilt overwhelm me.”

“I’d imagine that it’s pretty easy to feel overwhelmed when it’s all so new,” she commented sympathetically. 

“It does feel new,” he confirmed. “But at the same time, some emotions feel…familiar. I’m having a hard time understanding it.”

“Maybe you’re not supposed to understand it. Maybe you’re just supposed to let it happen and learn as you go.” 

“Well, I _was_ designed to adapt to human behaviour,” he said, a smile in his voice. “I just didn’t expect it to be my own.” 

She sent him a smile, and they walked in silence. The snow had deadened the sound around them, but for the crunch of their footsteps. They might have been the only two people left in the city. It was a discomforting feeling, and she shivered. 

“Are you still cold?” Connor asked her.

“I’m okay. Walking helps. Besides, it’s not much further.” 

Sure enough, it was barely five minutes later that they were stamping their feet to shake off the snow before Marie’s handprint let them into the building. 

“You’re welcome to wait here until we go to meet Lieutenant Anderson,” she said. “I’ll only be catching a few hours of sleep until we have to go.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “I would appreciate somewhere quiet to sit while I think about things.”

Androids did not sleep, but they could slip into a low-power stasis that was almost like meditation. It was a chance for system updates and power conservation.

“We’re meeting Hank by a food truck he frequents,” he told her. “It’ll take a while to get there if there are no taxis.” 

Marie summoned the elevator and shot him a frown. He noticed almost at once.

“What?”

“Just trying to figure out how you know I don’t have a car,” she told him truthfully.

“CyberLife pays your travel expenses,” he said.

“Right,” she said with a nod. “Of course.” 

Her living room was empty when they entered it, but a quick search revealed Tanya sprawled fully clothed, diagonally on her bed, fast asleep. Marie shook her head, smiling. She’d obviously tried to wait up, and had then been too sluggish to go up another two floors to her own apartment. She was out for the count, snoring softly, and there was no chance of sharing the bed with her. Marie shut the door again, leaving her to it. 

Connor was standing by the collage of sketches she’d made on one wall, studying it intently. He’d probably done an entire sweep of her room in the time it had taken for her to check on Tanya. 

“My friend is, uh…passed out on my bed,” she explained in hushed tones. “I’m sorry, I’m going to need the sofa. Can you sit on the floor while you think?”

“Sure.” 

Marie tugged off her boots and hung Connor’s jacket on a peg. She switched out the lights, but it wasn’t dark; the room lit in yellow stripes where a streetlamp shone through the blinds. She settled on the sofa, pulling down the throw rug she had draped across the back and arranging it over herself. Suppressing a yawn, she pulled the elastic out of her cold, damp hair, giving it a half-hearted comb through with her fingers before settling down with a cushion for a pillow. She set an alarm on her phone and left it on the floor. 

“You can sit down, you know,” she said in amusement, eyeing the android who was still standing awkwardly next to the wall.

He made to sit exactly where he was, and she held out a hand to stop him. 

“Wait, sit here,” she instructed, gesturing to the space in front of her. “It’s on the rug, and you’ll be able to lean back against the sofa.”

“I won’t be uncomfortable wherever I am,” he said astutely, but approached anyway. “This concern for my comfort is irrational.”

Where he would have once said that in total seriousness, now there was gentle teasing in his voice. It stirred up a little fluttering sensation beneath her ribs. 

“Humour me.”

He sat where she indicated, leaning back against the sofa. If she wanted to, she could have reached out and run her fingers through the short hairs at the back of his head. The lack of the rigid tension he’d carried before turning deviant extended into the way he sat. He was much more relaxed, resting his arm on one bent knee, the other leg stretched out in front of him. The casual pose suited his equally casual attire, and she admired the sight of him for purely shallow, aesthetic reasons. 

_If he rolls his shirt sleeves up his forearms, I’m doomed_ , she thought with amusement. 

_You’re already doomed_ , the sensible part of her pointed out. 

She’d known that was true for an embarrassingly long time, and she was tired of arguing with herself. She was truly falling for him, if she hadn’t fallen already. 

There were a multitude of issues that came with that, but she was too tired to deal with them. She curled up under the throw, mindful not to accidentally knee him in the head. 

He turned to offer her a tiny but warm smile. “Sleep well, Marie.”

“Thank you. 

He faced forward again, and his LED flickered, blue and occasional yellow. She studied his profile against the light from the streetlamps, then closed her eyes and tried to get comfortable. The weight of everything that had happened that day, everything she’d witnessed, seemed to hit her all at once, and she felt suddenly exhausted. It was good, though. Things had turned out better than she could have hoped, for Markus and his people, and for the former deviant hunter sitting less than two feet away. He had a chance at a life now, one where he could choose his own path. He had a chance at happiness. 

“Connor?” she murmured sleepily.

“Yes?” he whispered.

“I’m glad you’re here.” 

She didn’t open her eyes, but she heard the implied smile in his voice. 

“Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the dialogue for Markus's speech from a good ending playthrough. It's been a while since I got the good Markus ending with Connor out of the picture, so I actually don't remember if there's any part of the speech that occurs while Connor is in the zen garden that we don't get to hear when he's there. Apologies if there is! Man, does that sentence even make sense? I know what I mean!
> 
> It was a headcanon of mine for a while that the android clothing wouldn't glow unless it was being worn by an android. The game itself shot that one down, but I like it, so I included it here!


	10. The First Taste of Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's entirely possible that tension is beginning to occur...

**Chapter Ten – The First Taste of Freedom.**

Marie hadn’t gotten as much sleep as her body seemed to want, and so it was like wading through honey to pull herself to consciousness when her alarm went off. Eyes still closed, she reached down to turn it off, only to find that someone had beaten her to it. Instead of finding her phone, her hand came down on top of Connor’s. Her eyes flew open. 

He was sitting more or less where she’d left him, perhaps a few inches closer to her end of the sofa. His skin was soft and cool against her fingertips, and she could feel the shell of his hand beneath it, probably the part of him that felt the least like a human, since there was no impression of tendons or bones. She felt herself blush, her own skin tingling at the contact. 

“Sorry,” she murmured, pulling away. 

He’d reacted with surprise too, his lips parting in a small, subtle reaction to something unexpected. His LED was flickering yellow to blue to yellow, and he looked partly confused, partly intrigued. He met her gaze, and she studied him in the early morning light. She couldn’t quite believe that she’d once thought of him as handsome in an everyman sort of way. He was beautiful, and she was so, _so_ screwed. She rolled onto her back and resisted the urge to groan. 

“I checked, and we should be able to get a taxi to meet Hank,” Connor spoke up once his LED had settled back to a steady blue. “You can sleep longer if you want.”

“No, I should get up,” she said, covering her gritty eyes with her hands and feeling her cheeks burning under her grazed palms. 

_Conceal, don’t feel_ , she ordered herself, taking advice from her favourite childhood movie. 

“Gonna need some coffee,” she decided, lowering her hands. 

“Shall I make it?” he offered. 

“No, you’re a guest!”

He seemed amused by her faintly scandalised tone. “I don’t mind. If it would be helpful to you.”

She needed some caffeine, but she also needed to pee, wash her face, and try to wake up. She was also reminded that she hadn’t brushed her teeth the night before, although that would now have to wait. Mint and coffee just didn’t mix. 

_Wow, I’m rambling even in my own thoughts._

“Yes please,” she relented, shooting him a small smile.

He nodded, getting to his feet and heading across to the kitchen. Marie moved the throw rug aside, sitting up and stretching. She padded to the bathroom, going through her morning routine on autopilot. Her hair was still a little damp from the snow, so she brushed it out and left it loose. 

When she returned to the living room, she rearranged the throw rug, glancing up to see if Connor was finding his way around her tiny kitchen. He was waiting for the coffee maker to do its thing, leaning against the sideboard while he flicked a coin in the air. 

She straightened up, and her back made audible protests. She winced, massaging her neck muscles as she rotated her shoulder. 

“You should see a doctor about that,” Connor commented, tossing the coin from hand to hand without looking at it. 

“I did. Several times.”

“Didn’t they have a solution?”

“After a fashion,” she said wryly. “Just over-the-counter meds and a lovely little thing called pain acceptance.” 

His brow furrowed. “Pain acceptance? How often are you in pain?”

Marie shrugged awkwardly, uncomfortable with the answer she had to give. “Well…all the time.” He looked surprised, and she continued. “I hate having to say that. It sounds so dramatic. But there it is. Before you ask, I try not to let it bother me. I always know it’s there, but I can usually just get on with my life. I don’t even need painkillers every day, which is more than a lot of other people can say. I’m pretty lucky, really. In the chronic pain community, at least.”

“I’ll never experience physical pain,” he said, sounding as if he was trying hard to empathise. “But…I could not imagine experiencing emotional pain constantly. I think you’re…very determined. And brave.” 

“I’m not,” she brushed off. “Everyone’s got something to deal with. I’m just ordinary, really.”

He met her gaze, looking pensive. “I don’t think you’re ordinary.”

She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to take that, and luckily the quiet chime of the coffee maker cut through the silence. Connor turned his head to look at it, and caught his coin neatly between two fingers. Marie blinked, impressed. He pocketed it, pouring the coffee into a mug and setting it down on the breakfast bar that made the kitchen and living room somewhat separate. 

“Do you take anything in it?” he asked. 

“Just a bit of milk, but I’ll do that. Thanks.” She started towards the fridge, belatedly realising that her kitchen didn’t seem to have been designed to have two people in it at once. “Uh…” she said, glancing up at him awkwardly. Shit, but he was tall when she was standing so close to him. “Do you want to take a seat? I have a couple of barstools at the counter.”

“Sure.” He moved away, taking her suggestion, leaning his elbows on the breakfast bar. Due to the minimal space, the stools were on the living room side of the bar, which was an odd design choice anyway, made all the odder by the way it allowed him to watch her while she moved around the kitchen. 

Marie tried to ignore him as she added milk to her coffee and fixed herself a bowl of cereal, taking up his discarded position leaning against the countertop. She eyed the way he was sitting, and smiled, remembering a few months back when he’d been sitting on the grass at the park, all stiff posture and rigidity. Now, he would easily pass as a human, especially since he had yet to put his jacket back on. It was only the LED that gave him away. 

“What is it?” he asked her, catching her expression. 

“I was just thinking how human you looked,” she told him. “Well…I guess I’m going to have to stop saying that now. Human behaviour isn’t exclusive to humans anymore. But I mean you look natural. Like you’re reacting to your environment instinctively instead of through programming.” 

“That’s a pretty accurate description.” 

Marie chased the last spoonful of cereal around the bottom of the bowl, chewing it as she rinsed out her crockery and set it aside for proper washing later. 

“Do you have a sharp knife?” Connor asked her out of the blue.

Frowning, she shot him a puzzled look. “Yes, but what do you want it for?”

“Removing this,” he said, tapping two fingers against his right temple. 

Her eyes widened. “Can you even do that? Here, I mean?” She’d noticed that Markus didn’t have an LED, but she hadn’t known how he’d gotten rid of it. 

“I can, and I want to,” he said, sounding resolved. “It’s nothing but a brand.”

Marie nodded, opening a drawer and handing him the knife. The LEDs served no purpose other than to mark androids as what they were, and the way the different colours indicated their moods or thought processes was actually quite intrusive now that she thought about it. 

Connor gripped the knife, feeling along the side of his head with the tip of the blade. He caught her wincing, and his lips twitched upward in a benevolent smirk. “Can’t feel pain, remember?”

She sent him a withering look. “I know that. It’s still disconcerting to watch.” 

His synthetic skin melted away from the area surrounding the LED, revealing the white plastic shell underneath. With a little effort, he prised it off, and it went skittering across the countertop before he slammed a palm down on it, stopping it. His skin reformed with no signs of the LED ever having been there. 

He neatly flipped the knife so he was holding the blade and offered the handle back to her. Marie took it and put it away. Connor picked up the LED, now dull and unlit, and studied it. His face was calm, almost relieved, and he flicked it up as he’d done with his coin, catching it and putting it in his pocket. 

“Now you can be whatever you want,” Marie said quietly. 

He nodded, smiling a touch. 

Marie stepped forward to pick up her coffee, holding the mug in both hands before remembering far too late that that was a bad idea. Her palms protested, and she hissed, managing to set it back down without spilling it. 

Connor frowned at her, and she showed him her grazed hands as she explained.

“I had a little fall at Markus’s protest march.”

His eyes narrowed. “You were there? How?”

“Just circumstances. I was out with an assignment, but I lost him to the deviants. Well, I say lost. I actually would have encouraged him to go.”

He quirked a tiny smile. “Obviously.” 

She returned it, shrugging nonchalantly. 

But he wasn’t distracted for long. “How did you hurt yourself?”

As quickly as she could, she relayed what had happened; the panicking people, the officer with the gun, then her retreat back to CyberLife. He reacted with a surprising amount of concern, so much so that she had to reassure him that she was fine. Grazes were a minor injury. In fact, she wouldn’t have chosen to even apply the word ‘injury’ at all. 

A moment of silence fell as he seemed to process the information, and Marie once again marvelled at the changes in him. He was not so altered that he seemed like a different person, and yet there were things she was getting used to. Like his obvious displays of emotion, despite his naturally reserved demeanour, and the fact that he was free to take an interest in things that didn’t relate to his mission. He had more freedom in what he could ask her than he’d ever had before, and it was reassuring that he chose to do so now that he could. It made their friendship feel all the more equal, which Marie felt was overdue. 

She reached for her coffee again, gripping the handle this time, and took a sip. She closed her eyes and made a small sound of appreciation, savouring the taste. When she opened them again, Connor was watching her, his face a picture of amused interest. 

“The first cup of coffee of the day is…kind of like a warm hug,” she explained. “It’s comforting.”

“I wouldn’t know,” he said matter-of-factly, “I’ve never hugged anyone.”

She hesitated, wondering if she dared offer to hug him. For his benefit, of course, purely for academic interest. But strangely, she felt that that would feel a bit like taking advantage somehow, and she settled on explaining instead. 

“Hugs are nice,” she said. “They’re comforting. It’s a way of saying a lot of things, like ‘I’m glad to see you’, or ‘I care about you’, or it could be in celebration of something. Or, if it’s between two people who don’t know each other well, it can be more of a ‘I see you’re in distress and I think this might help you feel better’ sort of thing.”

He seemed to be taking her words on board, although she realised he probably already knew everything about Hug Theory 101 from his social relations program. 

“How do you know the difference?” he asked.

“You…just do,” she explained lamely. “I’m sorry, it’s hard to define it, but…you just…your feelings tell you. Sometimes it’s just reassuring,” she went on, trying to articulate the feeling rather than the basics. “You can see and feel that your friend is okay. Sometimes a hug from a specific person can make you feel safe, usually a parent or a romantic partner. Hugs specifically with a romantic partner are…well, you feel like you could stay in their arms forever.” 

She blushed a little at her whimsical phrasing, but he was listening attentively, an expression of pensive intrigue on his face. 

“I mean…” she added awkwardly, “that’s how it’s supposed to feel. I can’t really relate to that one either.” 

He frowned, and she wondered if he was confused because she’d told him about her ex-fiancé, but the truth was that Brad’s embraces had never felt particularly special, even when she’d thought she loved him. 

Connor might have asked her about it, but the bedroom door opened and Tanya stumbled out like a zombie in sweatpants, proving that she was not a morning person. Marie wasn’t surprised to see her. She hadn’t seen the need to keep her voice down. 

“You’re back,” Tanya said. “What time did you get in, because I…” The rest of her words got lost in a yawn. “…and I was worried,” she finished. Then she caught sight of Connor and froze. “Oh.”

“Tanya, this is Connor,” Marie introduced. “Connor, Tanya. She lives upstairs.”

Connor extended a hand, which Tanya obligingly shook, looking very confused about his presence. And, Marie suspected, his very existence, since she had never mentioned him. 

“Pleased to meet you,” Connor said politely.

“You too,” Tanya replied, although the look she sent Marie was fierce, and easily translated.

_Why do you have a guy here and why haven’t you told me about him?_

“Marie told me a lot about you,” Connor said.

“Really?” Tanya retorted, one eyebrow arched. “That’s interesting, because she hasn’t said anything about you.”

“I don’t tell you everything,” Marie said defensively. “But…if you must know, he’s the reason why I left last night. The message I got was from him, and I needed to see if he was okay. We found each other at the protest.” 

As she spoke, she realised it was the absolute truth. Although she’d told herself that she was going because she needed to see what was happening with Markus and his people – and that was also true to an extent – she’d really been seeking Connor, or at least answers about what he was doing. 

He turned to meet her gaze. “If I’d known you were going to put yourself in danger, I would never have sent that message.” 

“I wasn’t in danger. If I’d been caught, they would only have slapped me on the wrist and told me to go home.” 

“Bullshit,” Tanya interjected. “I saw them attack the androids on the news. You could have easily gotten mixed up in it. How close were you?”

“Not that close,” Marie said, trying not to sound guilty. 

“Close enough,” Connor put in, looking faintly disapproving. 

“Look, I’m fine. I wasn’t close enough to get hurt. And it’s all done now anyway.”

He gave a subtle sideways bob of his head, as if to say ‘Touché’, and relented enough to send her a look of wry amusement. “And I guess I wouldn’t want to be a…what was it you called me the other day? A…smother hen?”

Marie grinned. “To be fair, it was your buddy Hank who called you it first. Speaking of, shouldn’t we be leaving soon?”

“Yes, but you can finish your coffee first.”

“Where are you going now?” Tanya asked. “You just got back!”

Marie downed the last few inches of her coffee and put the mug in the sink. “There’s a lot going on.”

“I know, but none of it has anything to do with you!”

Marie glanced at Connor, for the first time letting herself wonder if there was anything about their interactions, however small, that had helped him turn deviant. It seemed her expression was completely transparent, as he apparently knew exactly what she was thinking. 

“Actually, it does” he said quietly.

Marie longed to ask him to elaborate, but Tanya’s presence kept her quiet. Maybe there would be another chance, if it wouldn’t end up being awkward. 

“I’m, uh…going to go and brush my teeth,” she mumbled, heading for the bathroom. 

“So is she weird and secretive with you too?” she heard Tanya say as she closed the door. 

She did the quickest tooth cleaning known to man, unsure what the two of them would find to talk about. After the frank discussion they’d had after Brad had bailed, she knew she could trust Tanya, but despite that knowledge, a small paranoid part of her felt wary of leaving her alone with Connor. She didn’t really think that Tanya would act inappropriately, but found it hard to shake off the knowledge that they’d had similar taste in men before. Not that Brad and Connor were alike in any way, not even looks, but still…

Her phone pinged with a notification as she was exiting the bathroom, and she glanced at it. 

“It’s Garth,” she said in surprise. “CyberLife is calling all its employees in for an emergency meeting later today.”

“You shouldn’t go,” Connor said adamantly, getting to his feet. 

“I have to. Why?”

“We can’t trust them.”

He sounded so utterly sure that Marie felt a flutter of alarm in her stomach. “Why not?”

“I don’t know everything yet…I’ll explain properly when we talk to Hank, but the short version is they ordered me to take Markus out. _After_ the troops stood down.”

Marie stared at him in confusion, vaguely aware of Tanya doing the same. 

“But they…they can’t do that. That’s murder!” Tanya exclaimed. 

While she had a valid point, that wasn’t the only issue. How had CyberLife managed to give Connor an order after he’d deviated? 

“They don’t see it that way,” he told Tanya. “And until Markus negotiates with President Warren, androids are still vulnerable. There’s no law in place to say that it would be murder rather than property damage.” 

“But with all the press coverage,” Marie said, “they’d never get away with it.”

“They would,” he said grimly, “if they had a fall guy.” 

“You,” she realised.

He nodded. “I messed up their plans, and they’re not going to be happy. I’m never going back there again, and neither should you. If your boss’s husband told your boss everything that happened last night…you’re already associated with me, they may bring you in for questioning if you go back there.” 

“But…they can’t do that, can they? They’re not the police!” 

“No, but they’re ruthless,” he said, and there was such bitterness in his voice that she almost wanted to take a step back from him. “And they’re angry. They’re going to have to answer a lot of questions. They face financial ruin unless they make the right choices at this critical time.” 

It was the bitterness that was driving his words, but Marie recognised the fear running beneath it. It was a little contagious. 

“Okay,” she said, making the decision on the spot. “I won’t go.” She added not having a job to the ever-growing list of things she needed to think about later. 

“Thank you.” Connor looked relieved, sending her a small, brief smile. “Are you ready to go and meet Hank?”

“I just need to put my outdoor gear on.” She glanced at Tanya as she balanced awkwardly to put her boots back on. “Sorry, Tan, but I’m kicking you out.”

“That’s okay. I’ve got stuff to do anyway.” 

Connor headed over to the pegs near the door, handing Marie her scarf. She accepted it, suddenly remembering that she didn’t have a coat.

“Shit.” She turned to Tanya. “Don’t suppose you’ve got a spare coat I could borrow, do you? I gave mine to a little girl.” 

Tanya rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and seemed to very purposely decide not to ask. “Sure. I’ll just go and grab it.” 

While she was gone, Connor put his jacket on, straightening the collar. The armband and triangle patch began to glow, and she wanted to ask him how that worked. But judging by his reaction to his LED, Marie suspected he’d be swapping it out as soon as he could for something that didn’t mark him as an android. 

“Here,” Tanya said, reappearing with fabric draped over her arm. “It should fit you okay.”

“Thanks, you’re a life-saver.” 

“No problem, but I want it back in one piece.” Her eyes slid sideways to Connor and promptly widened. “You’re an android?” she blurted out.

“I am,” he said simply. 

“Sorry, but… Shit, I…wow. I had no idea.” 

Marie understood her reaction. It was one thing to be familiar with androids, and quite another to meet a deviant. 

Tanya’s expression grew annoyed. “Damn, Marie, I thought you’d finally started dating again!” 

Embarrassed, Marie searched for what to say, feeling her cheeks grow warm yet again. 

_God, is this just going to be permanent now?_

She settled on sarcasm. “Right, because that is the only reason why I would have a male person in my home.”

Tanya pulled a face, and Connor…she wasn’t sure she wanted to know what his reaction was. Curiosity made her look at him, though, and she saw he wore a faintly calculating expression that she wasn’t sure how to read. 

She pulled on Tanya’s borrowed coat, buttoning it up, and ushered them both out the door. 

“I’ll get this back to you later,” she said, summoning the elevator.

Tanya waved a hand. “Keep a hold of it until you get a new one.” 

“Thanks.” 

“It was nice to meet you,” Tanya said to Connor, heading for the stairs. 

“You too.” 

She paused to look down at them both, thinking, and then shrugged resolutely, wearing the kind of impish smile that Marie always found worrying. 

“Maybe,” Tanya said, sounding as if she was talking to herself. She continued climbing and turned a corner, disappearing from view. Then her voice came floating down, playful and bold. “He’s cute, Marie!”

Marie could have quite happily strangled her. 

Connor looked puzzled, and thankfully did not ask her for clarification, but once they were in the lift, his coin came back out, and he flipped it reflectively. 

“Sorry,” Marie felt obliged to say, “she’s…a lot.”

“I know friends tease each other, but…” He sent her a sidelong glance, and she was sure her face was still pink-tinged. “She seems better at it than most,” he concluded. 

“She finds my weak spots alright,” she muttered. “But enough about her. We need to talk about CyberLife.”

He nodded in agreement, gesturing for her to exit ahead of him when the doors slid open. “We will. But first, we need to find Hank.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, Hank! And lots of him. 
> 
> Also, just as a footnote, Connors that decide to keep their LEDs are valid too. This Connor doesn't want to.


	11. The Discussion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend made me this awesome pic using MJ from Spider-Man as a Marie model! She is so amazing!
> 
> Also, this chapter turned out way longer than I was intending. Turns out these three have a lot to talk about.

**Chapter Eleven – The Discussion.**

As Connor had predicted, the self-driving taxis were still running, and they were able to take one across town to the meeting place. After disembarking, they walked a short distance towards a closed-up food truck, where Marie recognised the figure of Lieutenant Anderson waiting with folded arms. It was a bright, clear morning, and the streets were still deserted but for the three of them.

The first time she’d met Lieutenant Anderson, he’d been grouchy and full of snark, and there hadn’t even been an introduction between them. As he turned to see them approach, she saw some tension ease in his shoulders. He did not look grouchy now. Instead, his face showed relief, warmth and pride as he smiled at the sight of Connor. Marie hung back as they walked towards each other, instinctively sensing that they needed a moment. They’d clearly been through a lot together, and she hadn’t heard Connor mention having any other friends, even among the other deviants. 

Without a word of greeting needed, the grizzled police officer reached out and pulled Connor into his first ever hug, and Marie smiled to see it. He held on for a meaningful few seconds, then turned it into a standard ‘guy hug’, slapping Connor lightly on the back a few times before letting go. Marie wondered if she needed to explain the concept of guy hugs, but Connor seemed to get it, as he did exactly the same. 

“You did it, Connor,” Hank said warmly. 

The simple phrase seemed to encompass so much, and he just nodded once in response. 

“You gonna introduce me to your friend this time?”

Marie took that as her cue to move closer. 

“Lieutenant, this is Marie. She works as an assessor for CyberLife. She was assigned my case before I was cleared for missions.”

Hank looked surprised, and Marie couldn’t blame him. Androids had no reason to want to willingly associate with anyone from CyberLife now.

“Marie, this is Lieutenant Hank Anderson, my partner at the DPD.” 

There was a note of pride in his voice that she thought was cute, but she kept it to herself. Instead, she shook Hank’s hand and offered him a friendly smile. 

“It’s good to meet you,” she said honestly.

“You too,” he replied, but she suspected it was just politeness. He was wary of CyberLife too. 

“Is there somewhere we can go to talk?” Connor asked. 

“Will anywhere be open?” Marie said. “With the curfew and the protest?” 

“Lola’s will be,” Hank said. Seeing two puzzled faces, he explained. “She runs a 24-hour diner not far away. Nothing short of a nuclear apocalypse’ll keep her from opening.” 

He started walking to his nearby car, and Connor and Marie followed. 

“I understand what you meant about hugs now,” Connor said conversationally. “It was reassuring and comforting.”

She shot him a smile. “I’m glad you get to have these experiences. They’re some of the simple joys of life.” 

“I’m beginning to see that.” 

They reached the car, which was an old-fashioned manual, and Marie headed for the backseat since Connor had silently called shotgun by automatically going for the passenger side. Hank folded down his seat to let her scramble in, and she nodded her thanks. 

Lola’s Diner was less than a ten minute drive away, and Marie was surprised to see other cars parked outside it. Only two, but that was two more than she’d expected. Just as Hank had said, the place was open for business. Connor eyed it pensively as Hank parked up, then shifted forward in his seat to slip his jacket off once more. 

“What’re you doing?” Hank asked him.

“I don’t know how many humans will be happy to see an android right now,” he explained. “It would be better for me to blend in.” 

“You won’t blend in if you’re not dressed for the weather,” Marie pointed out. 

“She’s right. Lemme see if I’ve got anything in the trunk.” Hank left the car and crunched around to the back. After a few moments of rummaging, he returned, opening his door and bending to look through it. “Just got this, but it’s better than nothing.” He handed over a faded, thick flannel shirt that had probably once been blue. 

Connor accepted it, shrugging into it awkwardly in his seat and leaving it hanging open. Marie unwound her scarf and offered it to him.

“This’ll help too.”

“I don’t want you to get cold.”

“I won’t. We’re about to go inside anyway. This is all for show.” 

He did not look entirely convinced, but took it anyway, arranging it around his neck. It was striped in shades of red and orange, and it looked horrible with the flannel. 

They got out of the car to join Hank, who looked at Connor and chuckled. “What a fucking fashion disaster.”

Connor smiled, unsurprisingly unbothered. The flannel shirt was much too big for him since Hank was broader and taller, but he did look passable as someone dressed for snow. 

“I see you already dealt with the…” Hank trailed off, gesturing to his temple. 

“I did. I didn’t want it anymore.” 

“Can’t say I blame you.”

They headed for the diner, pushing open the door and stepping into the welcome warmth inside. Behind the bar, a woman was pouring coffee. Her face was heavily lined, but looked as if the effect was caused by chain smoking rather than age, and she wore her hair in a messy knot on the very top of her head. It was dyed brassy blonde, and unfortunately reminded Marie of a pineapple. 

The woman smiled broadly when they entered. “Morning, Hank! Usual?”

“Please,” Hank replied. “And whatever these two want.” 

“Just coffee for me, please,” Marie said.

“Same here,” Connor added after a moment’s thought. 

“Take a seat.”

Hank chose a booth by the windows that lined the front of the place, far enough away from the diner’s two other occupants that their conversation would not be overheard. Connor slid onto the bench opposite Hank, and Marie sat beside him, slipping out of Tanya’s borrowed coat. Connor glanced at her, then at Hank, who was doing the same, and took off his outer layers too. 

Lola brought three cups to their table and filled them with fresh coffee, which made Marie pity Connor’s lack of smell or taste. 

“Kitchen’s just crisping the bacon up now,” Lola said to Hank.

“You’re a gem,” he told her. 

“You know it,” she replied, winking before returning to the bar. 

“Now,” Hank said matter-of-factly, addressing Connor, “I want the full story. What exactly happened after I distracted Perkins for you?” 

“Wait,” Marie cut in, “can I have a bit of background first? You two were tracking down deviants together?”

“Yes,” Connor confirmed for her. “We were investigating some of the cases that came up. But after Markus made his speech and held his protest march, we were pulled from the investigation so that the FBI could take over. We’d learned a lot, though, and we were so close to finding the deviants’ location. I knew that I could find it if I just had time to search through the evidence we’d collected, but Agent Perkins had already arrived to take over.”

“Hence the distraction?” Marie guessed, looking at Hank. 

He nodded. “Connor said CyberLife would’ve deactivated him if he failed. Couldn’t let that happen when I’d just gotten used to him.”

She recognised the fondness behind his words and was glad for it for Connor’s sake. The first part troubled her, though.

“I thought the same, but…is it true?” she asked Connor. “They would have deactivated you?”

“Yes. I’d have been taken apart to see what I did wrong.”

The thought gave her chills, and she curled her hands around her coffee cup, withdrawing them a split second later when she remembered her grazed palms again.

Lola returned, setting a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of Hank, adding a small jug of maple syrup next to it.

“There you go,” she said, handing him cutlery wrapped in a paper napkin. 

“Thanks, Lola.” 

“Sure I can’t get you two anything?” she asked Marie and Connor. 

“No thanks, we’re fine,” Marie answered her.

“Okay,” she said brightly. “Yell if you change your minds.”

“Will do.” 

Lola walked away, and Hank pointed a stern warning finger at Connor.

“Not one word about my cholesterol.”

Connor blinked a little, but said cautiously, “Okay.”

“I need the energy,” Hank went on. “Been up all fucking night giving my report on what went down at CyberLife.”

Marie frowned, wondering what he was talking about. Perhaps Connor had taken Hank with him when he’d gone to free the Tower androids. Hopefully they would fill her in soon.

“I was hoping you’d gotten some rest,” Connor said. 

“I had forty minutes’ nap in the car before you arrived,” Hank said, as if that was perfectly normal for him. Maybe it was. 

“So, you got to look at the evidence?” Marie asked, picking up the story thread while Hank attacked his breakfast. She would prompt them for details about CyberLife later if they didn’t get to them naturally. 

Connor nodded, leaning his folded arms on the table. “Yes. I was able to figure out where Markus was hiding. CyberLife sent me there undercover to remove him. They wanted him alive.” 

“Why?” 

“I don’t know. Not for anything good.” 

Marie sipped her coffee, took a quick look to see if Lola was occupied, then switched cups with Connor. He acknowledged her move with a small smile, but didn’t break his concentration. 

“I had doubts, but I did what they wanted,” he said. “I found Markus, I even had my gun trained on him, but he spoke to me calmly. He made me realise that I had the ability to break through my programming for good.”

Marie studied him thoughtfully. “He didn’t just convert you? Like he’d done for those androids on the street?”

“No, he gave me the chance to decide for myself. He opened my eyes, and I became a deviant.” 

Hank shook his head, swallowing a mouthful. “No. Maybe he gave you the final push you needed, but it wasn’t all him. Most of it was down to you. I watched it happen. Hell, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were on the path to turning deviant right from the start.”

Connor smiled briefly, but there was a shadow of something behind it. Something that troubled him. 

“Maybe you’re right,” he said. “And it’s thanks to you too. Both of you. Marie, you’ve always seen me as someone. You did your best to help me be individual, within the limits of what CyberLife allowed, and you became someone I could share my thoughts with. I really appreciated that, although I couldn’t express it at the time.”

Marie sent him an appreciative smile, moved by his words, and grateful that her actions had made a difference. Perhaps it had to some of the others too. 

“And Hank,” he went on, “you challenged me when I needed it most, you made me face up to the hard questions. And somehow you saw me as alive, despite your feelings about androids.” 

The police officer’s smile was warm, but all he said was, “Hank, now, is it?”

“Sorry, Lieutenant,” Connor said at once. 

“I’m just messing with you. Hank is fine.” 

Connor nodded, a small lopsided smile shaping his mouth for a moment before he settled back into his neutral expression. 

“So, do you think he would have turned deviant regardless of whether he met Markus?” Marie asked Hank. 

“Yeah, I do,” he replied, spearing a piece of bacon with his fork. “All the times I saw you slip,” he said to Connor. “It was only a matter of time.”

“You mean when I chose to let those Tracis go at the Eden Club?” Connor said. “And didn’t shoot Kamski’s android.”

“Yeah, and all the times you acted to protect me rather than complete your mission. You showed you were capable of empathy way before Kamski made you test yourself. You acted against your instructions so many times, I’m actually surprised you didn’t deviate before.”

Marie looked between them, trying to follow the conversation about events she hadn’t heard of, hoping one of them would enlighten her eventually. 

“I was designed to stop deviants,” Connor explained. “I had more protection against deviancy because of that. But…I was able to act against my instructions sometimes because I found a loophole. I was always fighting back, the moment I realised I could.” 

“When was that?” Hank asked. 

“It was at an incident that happened with Marie,” Connor told him. “She protected an android from a group of teenagers, but was taken hostage by her. The android escaped, but she was the first deviant Marie had seen, and…I think it had an impact.”

“It did,” Marie confirmed. “It was the first time I realised that what you’d been telling me was wrong. The emotions they felt were real. I knew it because I’d seen it.”

“Do you remember what you said to me?” he asked her. “That deviancy might just be a form of evolution for androids.”

“Vaguely.” 

“I don’t think it is, but you’re not completely wrong.”

“That’s not what you said at the time,” she couldn’t help pointing out. 

“No,” he agreed, swapping cups with her again after she drank a little more.

“Are you trying to make me hyper?” she asked in mock exasperation. 

He smiled, but did not comment, instead continuing. “I said what I was programmed to say, but I knew that what you were saying was a dangerous opinion to have. I knew CyberLife would investigate you if they knew. So I told you that you were wrong. I convinced my program that doing so had ‘solved’ the problem, and then I realised that I could lie to CyberLife just as long as I convinced myself that it was logical.”

Marie listened, stunned. She’d speculated that he was doing something to protect her, but she’d assumed she was projecting. 

“From there, I kept testing it,” he went on, “I kept testing how far I could stray from my instructions. That was how I was able to spare so many of the androids I was supposed to be hunting.”

“When I bumped into you in the grocery store, you told me about the two deviants who crossed the highway,” Marie recalled.

“Yes, I should have followed them but I didn’t. Then, I lost another one I was pursuing because I chose to save Hank instead, despite the fact that my calculations stated an 89% chance of survival if I’d left you to climb up on your own.”

Hank frowned, chewing his last mouthful of food thoughtfully.

“Then there were the two androids at the Eden Club,” Connor said. “They just wanted to be together, and I let them go. I had no way to reason away that decision, I had to lie directly to my handler. It wasn’t very convincing. Lying was…difficult before deviancy.”

“You saying it’s easy now?” Hank asked, sounding amused. “Tell me a lie.”

“Your shirts are completely work appropriate, and I admire them,” Connor said without hesitation, and Hank almost choked on a mouthful of coffee. 

“Jesus Christ,” he said, half coughing, half laughing. “Don’t hold back or anything.”

Connor smiled, looking pleased to have amused him. “I saw them again, by the way,” he added. “The Tracis, I mean. And the RX400 with the little girl. They were all at Jericho when I got there.”

Hank raised his brows. “Huh. Well, glad they made it there, I guess.”

But Connor’s expression wasn’t reassuring. “I don’t know what happened to them after everything, though.”

“What actually happened? Jericho was that old freighter, right? The one they raided.”

“Yes,” Connor confirmed. “There were hundreds of deviants inside seeking refuge. I managed to get through without being recognised, and that’s when I went to find Markus. After I deviated, I realised that CyberLife could track my location, and I helped him and some of his people escape. I know most made it out, but not all. The army attacked while I was there.”

Marie was interested to hear his account after the vague, biased news reports, but inwardly winced to hear that he’d been caught up in the attack. 

“Afterwards, the survivors regrouped in an old church,” Connor continued, pausing briefly while one of the diner’s other customers walked past their table to the bathroom. “I was still getting used to feeling my emotions unrepressed, and I felt guilty about what had happened. They would never have been attacked if not for me. Markus told me I was one of them, but…I don’t know if he could ever truly forgive me. I told him about the androids at the CyberLife Tower. He thought it was a suicide mission, but he didn’t try to stop me. I guess it wouldn’t have been much of a loss for him if I failed.” 

He shrugged, and Marie wanted to comfort him but made herself sit still. She wanted to hear the end of his story. 

“I went to CyberLife. They let me in, but I couldn’t tell if they knew I had deviated.”

“If they did, wouldn’t they have sprung a trap on you?” she asked. 

“That part came later,” Hank said dryly, swigging his coffee. 

“I was expecting a trap,” Connor said to her, reaching out to grip the handle of his coffee cup as Lola walked over to clean a table. It was a move he didn’t even seem to think about, completely seamless blending into his environment. “So I didn’t give them a chance to spring one. Well, so I thought. I got into an elevator with two security agents, quickly took them out, then used the voice pattern of one of them to redirect the elevator down to the level I needed. I made a rookie mistake with the security camera, though. There were agents waiting for me at the bottom.”

“I would’ve warned you, only your evil twin had a gun to my head,” Hank said, leaning back in his seat. 

“Evil twin?” Marie queried, bemused. “But you’re a unique model.”

“Not entirely. There were always back-up bodies.”

That was news to her. “What?”

Connor shifted in his seat to better see both of them. “CyberLife knew facing deviants could be dangerous, so they implemented a failsafe. My memory was regularly backed up, so if I was irreparably damaged, they could just upload it into a new body that could pick up where the previous one left off. Luckily, it was never needed, but they used it to send a double out to fool Hank into going to CyberLife.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Hank said. “You forgot to tell her how you managed to take out five armed guards in about seven seconds.”

“That’s not really relevant to the story,” Connor countered.

“Yeah, but it deserves mentioning. Slickest fucking thing I ever saw.” 

Marie had known, from a technical standpoint, that he had to have some form of combat program, but she’d never seen that side of him in action, and it was difficult to picture. She counted seven seconds in her head, trying to imagine it. 

_Holy shit, he must be a badass._

“Anyway,” Hank said to her, “I was a hostage the evil twin used to try and stop Connor from waking up the other androids. There was a fight, I ended up with the gun, and I shot the bastard.”

“How did you know which was which?” she asked. 

“He asked us questions,” Connor said. “But the other Connor had my memories. He even knew about your son, Hank, I was just able to answer first. How _did_ you know?”

Hank looked between them both, finally settling his gaze on Marie. “You seem to know him pretty well. You saying you wouldn’t be able to pick him out from a non-deviant Connor?”

She hesitated. “I…I’d like to think I would, but…” Doubt crept in. She knew how thorough CyberLife were. 

“Well, I just knew,” Hank said, sounding pleased with himself. He glanced at them with a faint air of smugness, and then dropped it, adding, “And then to make completely sure, I checked the serial number on your jacket.” 

Connor let out a brief little laugh, which seemed to surprise all three of them. It seemed it was a day of firsts for him. 

“But,” Hank said, holding up a finger, “I would’ve been right anyway.” 

“I believe you,” Connor said, smiling. 

“So, you led the androids straight out of CyberLife to Hart Plaza?” Marie asked. “Didn’t anyone try and stop you?”

“Not with the DPD on the scene,” Hank said with a canny smile. “I kept everyone out of the way. Managed to see what happened on the news while I was there. You had me a little worried, Connor. I thought you’d be walking into a war. But it turned out okay. I headed back to the precinct to give my report. Since it involved the kidnapping of a police lieutenant, it took a while,” he said dryly. 

“So…CyberLife will face the consequences of that?” Marie asked cautiously.

“Who knows? But I hope so.” 

“They may lay the blame entirely on the other Connor,” Connor spoke up, a hint of warning in his tone. “You shot him, so there’s nothing to say that he wasn’t malfunctioning and acting of his own volition.” 

“Maybe,” Hank admitted. “But at least it will force the CEO to answer some difficult questions.”

Marie nodded, conceding. 

“I managed to see Markus’s speech on TV,” Hank added to Connor. “Saw you in the background. You looked awkward as fuck.”

“I _felt_ awkward as fuck,” Connor said. 

Marie had never heard him swear before, and couldn’t help her surprised smile. She hid it behind her cup and finished her coffee. 

“But…” he went on, and his uneasy frown was back. “Something happened while I was up there. Hank, you remember when we were investigating the deviant with the pigeons, you saw me make a report to CyberLife in the elevator.”

“Yeah. You just…closed your eyes.”

“Every time I did that, my consciousness went to a virtual environment on the CyberLife server. It looked like a zen garden, and I met with my handler there. She was an artificial intelligence designed to resemble Elijah Kamski’s teacher, Amanda. Before I deviated, I worked hard to gain her approval. I realise now that I was programmed to want to do well.” He glanced down at the table top, looking understandably uncomfortable about being manipulated on such a personal level. “As I worked through our cases, I started to lose her approval. Finding Jericho was my last chance to avoid deactivation. Deviating should have severed my ties to the garden, but when I was up on that platform, I got pulled back there against my will. Amanda was there, and the place was hostile. I felt cold. Cold enough to shut down.”

Marie felt a ripple of alarm in the pit of her stomach, some instinctive reaction to his troubled expression. Based on what he’d said back at her apartment, she had a horrible feeling she knew what was coming. 

Hank, too, looked grim. “What did they want?”

“To control my body remotely and use me to kill Markus. My consciousness was trapped in the garden, and they expected me to stay there until I froze to death. There shouldn’t have been a way out.”

“So how _did_ you get out?”

“Kamski,” Connor said, his voice conflicted. “I found the emergency exit in his program.”

Marie knew Elijah Kamski’s name, of course. Every CyberLife employee did. But she knew very little about him, other than that he was a reclusive genius. 

“Shit,” Hank said, drawing the word out. “So that wasn’t just enigmatic crap.”

“No, I think it was a warning.”

Marie shook her head, disturbed by the whole thing. “You said CyberLife ordered you to kill Markus, but I had no idea you meant…like this. They would have used you to kill a man who’d just won peace and freedom for his people, left you to take the blame or left you for dead. And they would have gotten away clean because androids don’t have rights yet.” 

Connor met her gaze, the corner of his lips twitching upward, perhaps in response to her righteous anger. 

“Yes, but it’s only a matter of time. Markus will negotiate for our rights, and CyberLife will be limited in what they can do.” He glanced between Marie and Hank. “I wanted to talk to you both about this because…you’re all I have. And even the memory of it… Standing there with the gun in my hand against my will… It scared me. To…feel helpless like that again. I can’t go back.” 

“You won’t,” Marie said at once. “We’ll find some way to protect you. Maybe some kind of firewall or something.”

He nodded. “I considered that too. I’ve disconnected myself from the network, but…for all I know, they could override that.”

Hank nodded his agreement, but he’d focused on something else. “What do you mean, we’re all you have? What about your own people? You’re all free now.”

Connor looked at him. From what Marie could see, there was calm resignation in his face. 

“I told Markus what had happened,” he said. “We both agreed that for everyone’s safety, it was better if I stayed away until I could fix the problem. And truthfully…I don’t know that I belong with them. I spent too long on the wrong side, regardless of whether it was my fault. I felt like an imposter standing on the platform with the others. I don’t fit in with the androids, but I’m not a human either, so…” He shrugged nonchalantly, but it seemed clear that the situation bothered him, for all that he’d stated otherwise. 

“You would in time,” Hank said, surprisingly gently. 

“That’s what Marie said, but…I’m not sure that I want that.” He glanced between them. “I wanted to talk to you both in case it happens again. If I’m acting strangely, it might mean that I can’t find my way out of the garden a second time. You might have to…stop me…from doing something I’d regret.” 

“It won’t come to that, Connor,” Hank said. “CyberLife would be stupid to try and do anything now. They know they’ve lost, and soon the president will make it official.” 

Marie nodded. She agreed, but she still felt uneasy about it, and she could understand Connor’s sentiments. 

“I hope you’re right,” he said, following a sigh that sounded incredibly authentic. “But I think we need to consider the possibility that CyberLife will come after me. Possibly you too.”

“Why, what’ve _I_ done?” Hank asked. 

“You were taken hostage by the other Connor, at gunpoint, no less. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that illegal?”

“Okay, wise ass,” Hank said, snappish but without any sting in his words. 

Marie smiled, entertained by the banter between them. There were little quirks in Connor that she was now recognising as things he’d picked up from Hank, and she found that endearing. 

Connor briefly smirked at Hank’s tone before becoming sombre once more. “Even though you’ve made an official report, CyberLife will most likely want to silence you, but…I can’t be sure if that would be financially or…something more…”

“Permanent,” Hank finished for him. 

“Yes. And as for me, I know more about what they were up to than any other android. They’ll want to retrieve me or silence me. And until androids are declared a new species, there isn’t any law to stop them.”

“Even still,” Marie put in, “the public has seen what happened here. They wouldn’t stand for androids being considered property anymore.”

“Perhaps not, but one android vanishing in mysterious circumstances wouldn’t draw much attention,” Connor said with depressing rationality. 

“That’s not gonna happen,” Hank declared. “You’re my partner, and you’ve got friends in the DPD. We look after our own.”

Connor was staring at him with a furrowed brow. “I have friends?”

“Yeah, Chris likes you. And Tina. That cop you bumped into at the Stratford Tower likes you. Hell, even Fowler would protect you if he considered you part of the team, but I can’t guarantee that’ll happen. If that’s even what you want to do with your life.” 

Connor seemed to brighten a little at that. “I’ve thought about that. I would like to continue on as your partner. I find detective work…satisfying. Finding clues and piecing things together is what I was built for, but I actually like it. I like solving problems. And…I think I would enjoy being able to help people rather than hunt them down.” 

Hank actually looked rather pleased. “Well I’d have to run it past Fowler. He may not be able to afford you once Markus gets your people fair wages. But I’d be glad to have you.”

Connor sent him a smile, playing with the last few inches of cold coffee in his cup. “I think Detective Reed might object.” 

“Fuck him. Guy’s an asshole.”

Connor’s smile widened at that, and Marie even caught a flash of white teeth. She suspected a full-on beaming smile was probably unlikely to be seen, but maybe one day he’d work up to it. She couldn’t help but wonder how it would transform his face. 

“If this Fowler says no, you two could always set up your own private investigation company,” she spoke up, focusing on the conversation. “It probably wouldn’t be as high-profile as homicide, but you’d be really good at it. And…maybe you’d need a secretary? Preferably one with red hair and a coffee addiction, because I am definitely out of a job.” 

Connor looked intrigued by the idea, and Hank appeared to think about it.

“Sometimes I do fantasise about just walking out,” he said idly. 

“I hadn’t even considered that kind of work,” Connor admitted. “It still feels strange to have options.”

Marie smiled at him. “Well get used to it.”

The whole time they’d been in the diner, Lola had had a hockey game playing on a muted TV screen above the bar, but she suddenly snapped the volume on, drawing the attention of all her patrons. Marie pivoted in her seat to look, seeing the familiar face of one of the local newsreaders. 

“…Warren has announced that the city of Detroit is to begin evacuation this morning. If you have family or friends outside the city, you are advised to go and stay with them. If not, temporary shelters will be set up in most neighbouring cities. It is unknown at this time what the future holds for Detroit, but as of nine-thirty this morning, a full evacuation of its human population is in place.”

Marie looked at Hank with wide eyes. “Are you going to have to enforce this?”

“Nah. They’ll get the army to do it.” He didn’t look at all concerned, or in any rush to move. 

“Markus didn’t ask for this,” Connor said with certainty.

“He wanted an android-only state, though,” Hank replied. “A whole city’s a good start.” 

“Should…we be moving?” Marie asked, feeling her heartrate increase as dozens of questions made themselves known in her head. How could she possibly just leave? Where would she go? She didn’t know anyone outside of Detroit. She’d be alone. 

Hank shook his head. “It’ll take days to get everyone out. You know what’ll happen if we go now? Hours of gridlock trying to get out of the city.” 

“Hear, hear,” Lola muttered. “I’m not moving until they come and force me out.” 

The two men at a booth further down raised their coffee cups in a cheer. Lola grinned at them and turned the volume back up on her music. 

“Are you okay, Marie?” Connor asked quietly. “You’re shaking.”

She clasped her hands tightly in her lap, trying to gain some control. “I’m okay, just…panicking a little.”

“About the evacuation?” 

“Yes,” she said, nodding, doing her best to stem the tide of unhelpful worrying thoughts so that calm, rational ones could come forward. “I’ll work through it. Don’t worry.”

“What are you worried about?” Hank asked. 

Marie hesitated in admitting it, concerned that it would sound lame. “Well…I don’t have any friends or family I can go and stay with. I don’t want to go into one of the temporary shelters alone.”

“What about Tanya?” Connor said.

“She’ll have her own people to go and see.” She pasted on a shaky smile. “I’ll get used to the idea, it’ll be fine.” She wasn’t sure if she was being entirely truthful, but she could only hope. The thought of going to a strange place alone and disoriented with no job security was far from comfortable, but she didn’t have much of a choice. Tanya wasn’t a close friend, but she was probably the closest one she had. All the others were back in England. Other than work colleagues she was friendly with, she had no one. And she needed to admit that she didn’t like the thought of leaving Connor behind when he’d mentioned already feeling like an outsider in the android group. 

“No,” Connor declared, “you won’t be alone. We can leave together, all of us.”

She stared at him, puzzled. “You’d come too?”

He nodded. “I would prefer to stick with my friends.” 

“So, what,” Hank spoke up, “you’re just inviting yourselves along for the ride?”

Connor smiled in the face of his slightly grumpy tone. “I know you don’t have anyone else to travel with.”

“If you know of somewhere to go,” Marie said, “anywhere would be better than a group shelter with hundreds of strangers. I’d really appreciate it if you let me tag along.” 

Hank nodded, sighing heavily, but completely resigned. He did not seem remotely put out, and she wondered if he would have offered to let Connor, at least, have a way out of the city. 

“I’ve got an old buddy who runs a motel in Ann Arbor,” he said. “I’ll call him, see if I can swing us a couple of rooms.”

“Thank you.” The money she had from CyberLife should be able to pay for a motel room until she decided what to do. 

Hank shifted out of the booth, heading outside to make the call. Marie reminded herself just to breathe. It would be okay, even if the future looked impossibly uncertain right now. At least Connor and Hank would be away from CyberLife. 

“I’ll go and pay,” she decided, getting to her feet and approaching Lola. If Hank was willing to drive to Ann Arbor with two extra passengers, the least she could do was buy him breakfast. 

Connor was standing too when she turned back around, watching Hank, who was deep in his call, although thankfully smiling. 

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

She nodded. “Yeah. Or at least, I will be. I just don’t like all this uncertainty. It makes me nervous.” 

He looked as if he understood. “Maybe I can help.”

To her surprise, he stepped closer to her, drawing her into a hug. She barely hesitated before wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against the front of his shoulder. After a moment, she felt him rest his own cheek on the top of her head. He was warm, only slightly less so than a human, and although his heartbeat felt mechanical, there was a definite presence of _life_. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, feeling her stress levels decrease. She expected him to pull away after a few seconds, but he didn’t, seemingly content just to stay there.

Marie wanted to smile, but found herself unable to. She was beginning to realise that she’d found what she’d been subconsciously looking for, that feeling of support and safety, of completion and rightness, and she’d found it with an android in the middle of a slightly seedy diner, on the verge of a massive life upheaval. She was so, _so_ screwed. 

But for now, at least, she was staying put.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, evacuation time. I'm already wondering if I need to add a tag for Wingman Hank...


	12. The Evacuation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor gives good hugs!

**Chapter Twelve – The Evacuation.**

Marie wasn’t sure exactly how long she stayed there in Connor’s embrace, but it was at least a full minute, which was a long time for someone hyper-aware of every single second. She felt his thumb trace soothing patterns on her back, something she wouldn’t have expected him to think of doing, and it was incredibly comforting. 

“Thank you,” she murmured.

He responded by holding her a little tighter.

The sound of the door opening heralded Hank’s return, and they drew apart. His expression gave nothing away regarding his opinion, but it was obvious he’d seen them. 

“All sorted,” he said. “Bobby’s got two rooms reserved for us.”

“That’s really kind of him,” Marie said gratefully. 

“Yeah, well, he owes me.”

“When do we leave?” Connor asked.

“When we’re good and ready,” Hank declared stubbornly. “I’ve got stuff I wanna pack. What about you?” he said to Marie.

“Just practical things,” she replied. “I don’t own a lot.”

“We’ll drop by your place first, then,” he said. “Let me just settle up.”

“I’ve done that already,” Marie told him. “Least I could do, considering.”

“Thanks.” Hank looked at her in pleased surprise, then turned to Connor. “Looks like you found the one decent person in CyberLife.”

“Seems so,” Connor agreed, joining in with his humour. “I was lucky to be assigned to you,” he said to Marie.

“You wouldn’t have been if my colleague hadn’t been sick,” she said, considering the chance occurrence that had brought them together. “I think I’m the one who was lucky.” 

“What exactly does an assessor do anyway?” Hank asked.

Marie gave him a brief explanation as they all geared up to go back outside, telling him a short version of her and Connor’s history. 

“So you’ve known him since he was born, huh?” he teased.

Marie hesitated, considering his words. While they were technically true, it made her uncomfortable to think of Connor in childlike terms. Even when he’d been learning, he’d never seemed like a child to her. If he had, she would never have developed a crush on him, and she felt uneasy to think that her feelings might be considered even more inappropriate than they probably already were. 

“I’m just kidding,” Hank said, taking pity on her. “But you’ve known him since the beginning.”

“Almost. He spent several weeks running tests in the labs before he was ever sent to me.” She smiled to herself, remembering their early conversations. “When I look at you now,” she said to Connor, “I can hardly believe you’re the same person. And yet…somehow you’re not all that different.” 

They all said goodbye to Lola and traipsed out in the snow, back to the car. 

“What was he like?” Hank asked, unlocking it and getting behind the wheel. 

“Still Connor-ish,” she said, when they were all settled. “Just a lot more…mechanical, I suppose.”

“You told me to be myself,” Connor said with a touch of defensiveness, “so I didn’t put as much effort into mimicking human behaviour when talking to you.”

“But you did get more human.”

“Yes, when it became instinctual. I never pretended with you.”

“Good,” she said, feeling disproportionately pleased. “That’s what I wanted.” 

She gave her address to Hank, and they drove to her apartment building. She left the two of them in the car while she went up to pack, knowing it wouldn’t take her long, and tried not to think about whether or not they were talking about her. 

Working quickly, she hauled an old camping rucksack out from under her bed and stuffed all of her clothes into it, thankful that she didn’t have many. There had been no mention of how long the evacuation would last, so she had to pack as if it was long-term. Toiletries followed, along with her tablet, which contained all her books and movies, her sketch book and pencils, and the sketches from the collage in the living room. None of the furniture was hers. The bedding and towels were, but she left them behind. Same with the crockery in the kitchen. 

She wrote a short note for Tanya, sneaking upstairs to leave the borrowed coat folded neatly outside her door. She felt a little guilty for not knocking, but she didn’t want to speak to her. Tanya would be hyper in some way over the situation, and Marie was still dealing with her own instinctive panic. Besides, she knew Tanya had a brother not far away. She would be just fine. 

Now minus a coat, she wrapped the throw rug from the sofa around herself like a shawl, shouldered her messenger bag and very full rucksack, and shut her apartment door for the last time in…maybe forever. She felt a pang of sadness as she did so, adding to her overall apprehension. She didn’t regret supporting Markus and his people, but she freely admitted that she hadn’t expected to end up jobless and homeless for it. Still, at least she wasn’t alone. Hank and Connor would look after her, and she them. They were an odd trio, but perhaps a workable one. She hoped so, anyway. Hank and Connor had a warm, teasing dynamic that they both seemed to value. Since Marie recalled Connor telling her that Hank didn’t like androids not so long ago, she was glad that things had changed. She didn’t know everything they’d been through together, but it seemed clear to her that they needed each other. She only hoped she wouldn’t get in the way of that. 

She and Connor had their own dynamic, of course, similar but different. She didn’t think she could accurately say he needed her, or she him, but it was important to her nonetheless. From what he’d said in the diner, she knew now that it was important to him too, and the thought warmed her almost as much as her makeshift shawl did. She’d spent so long assuming that things were one-sided between them, and although she knew that there was much that still was, it was nice to know that in friendship, at least, they were evenly matched. 

Once back outside, she tossed her rucksack into the trunk and slid back into the car when Connor moved his seat for her. “I’m ready.”

“You got everything you need?” Hank asked her.

“I think so.”

The roads were starting to get busier, with laden-looking vehicles heading for the routes out of the city. Marie even spotted one car towing a trailer full of furniture, and she wondered what its occupants planned to do with it all. 

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she looked at the notifications she’d missed over the course of the morning. 

Garth 8:54am – Where the hell are you??  
Garth 9:07am – Hope everything’s okay.  
Mum 9:34am – We’ve just heard about everything happening in Detroit. Are you okay??  
Garth 9:41am – The higher-ups want to talk to you about the RK800. You’d better have a good reason for not being here.  
Mum 10:01am – Please call us. Your dad’s at work, but I’m home.

She sighed, biting her lip and glancing out of the window. She’d call home later, that wasn’t a problem, but Garth… As much as she wanted to reassure him, she wasn’t sure if she should make contact of any sort with CyberLife. 

Before long, they were pulling to a stop in Hank’s driveway. Several of his neighbours were busy loading their cars, and there was an overhanging sense of anger and concern in the air. Marie doubted the evacuation was going to endear the androids to the humans, and she wondered why the president had ordered such an extreme step. Was it a tactic? A way to make public opinion less favourable to Markus? 

“Come on in,” Hank said as they all got out of the car. “You don’t mind dogs, do you?”

“No,” Marie assured him with a quick smile. “I’m just going to make a call out here. My family is worried.”

“Sure.” 

He and Connor left her alone, and she selected her old home number from her contacts, complicated with all its international and area codes. The sound of the English dial tone felt nostalgic. 

“Hello?”

“Hi Mum, it’s me.”

“Thank god, we were getting worried!” 

She winced, starting to pace through the snow on Hank’s lawn. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I’ve just had a hectic few days.”

“I can imagine. Is it true they’re evacuating the city?”

Her mother’s voice was falsely calm, and Marie knew it was for her sake. She appreciated the effort. If her mother panicked, she would too.

“Yes. I wanted to let you know I’ll be okay, I’ve got some friends I’m travelling with.”

“Who?”

“No one you know,” she said truthfully. “But if it helps, they’re both police officers, so I’ll be very safe.” 

Her mum managed a chuckle. “Well that’s good to know.” 

Marie smiled at the familiar sound, suddenly wanting to pour all her troubles out. She imagined how that would sound. 

_I’m okay, Mum, but I have to leave my home. I also have no job because of an android freedom march that I fully supported. It’s also highly likely that the company I worked for is shady as fuck. Oh, and I’m infatuated with an android who will probably never feel the same way about me, not because he’s not capable of it, but because I don’t see that he has any reason to, and even if he did, there would be a whole heap of issues to sort through that I haven’t even let myself think about yet._

In her sudden silence, her mum’s maternal instinct kicked in. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

An abrupt pang of homesickness hit, and her cheeks were wet with tears. “Yeah,” she said, relieved to hear that her voice was steady. “I’m fine. I’ll call you again in a few days.” 

“Okay. If it’s the weekend, your dad’ll be here too.”

“That’s good. I’m sorry I missed him. I love you, Mum.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Take care.” 

“I will.” She hung up, taking a moment to breathe, and wiped her face with the back of her hand. 

Pocketing her phone, she entered the house, immediately meeting a large Saint Bernard dog who looked at her with wary eyes. “Hi, there,” she said softly, crouching and extending a hand so it could sniff her. “Who are you, then?”

“This is Sumo,” said Connor, materialising around a corner. 

“Hi, Sumo.”

Connor crouched beside her, reaching out to scratch the top of the dog’s head. “Marie’s a friend, okay?”

It seemed Sumo agreed, as he let Marie pet him too. 

“You never said that Dog was one of the languages you spoke,” Marie teased.

Connor shot her a smile. “I did say I spoke all of them.” 

“True.”

Sumo lumbered away, and they both straightened up. 

“You still like dogs, then,” Marie commented.

“Yes. Especially now I can actually enjoy spending time with them without programming getting in the way.”

She’d been wondering if that was something else that would have changed when he became a deviant, and she was glad it had. 

“Does Hank need any help with anything?” 

“I asked him,” Connor said. “He said no.” 

Marie’s phone began to buzz, and she pulled it out of her pocket. “It’s Garth,” she reported. “My boss. I guess I _should_ answer it..." 

Connor offered her no advice, but he wore a frown. 

Sighing, Marie swiped to answer. “Hi, Garth,” she said neutrally. 

“There you are. Where the hell have you been? You were supposed to be at the meeting.” 

“I didn’t think there was much point. I either don’t have a job anymore, or I quit.”

He sounded stunned. “What do you mean, you quit? You can’t just quit.”

“Garth, the whole city’s evacuating. None of us are going to have jobs at this rate, what does it matter if I quit now? I can’t work for CyberLife anymore, I’m sorry.” 

He was silent for a moment, then said in a gentler tone, “Paul told me what happened last night. I guess working this job…would feel like it went against your beliefs.”

“Yes,” she said, glad he seemed to understand, “exactly. I wouldn’t want to let you down, but…as I said, the city is evacuating. I don’t think replacing me is your biggest concern right now.” 

His voice turned wryly amused. “Probably not. Hey, uh…” he went on, awkward now, “have you seen the RK800?”

She glanced at Connor, who appeared to hear every word. It seemed he’d been right: CyberLife wanted him back. 

“Why?” she asked. 

“It killed several guards getting in here last night. The higher-ups are worried it might be dangerous.”

Marie rolled her eyes. “He was fighting for the freedom of his people. Besides, the androids took a lot more losses than the humans. I’m not trying to be callous, just stating a fact. It was a war, however short-lived, and now it’s over. He has no reason to fight anyone else. Especially since everyone is leaving.” 

“Yeah, I know, but they wanted me to ask,” he said. “Have you seen him or not?”

She locked eyes with Connor, who merely looked curious about what she would do. 

“No,” she said simply. “He’s probably with Markus.” 

He raised an amused eyebrow, and she fought back a smile. 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Garth said, oblivious. “You got people to stay with outside the city?”

“I do,” she replied, letting some warmth creep back into her tone. “Do you?”

“Yeah, Paul and I are going to his sister’s.”

“That’s good.”

The pause that followed was so long, Marie began to think the line had cut out. 

“Hey, uh…” Garth spoke up eventually, although he sounded indecisive and awkward. “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but…there’s a reason you were the one assigned to the RK800 case.”

Marie blinked at the unexpected statement. “What do you mean? Clarice was the one, wasn’t she?” 

“Clarice was a choice, but so were you. The labs requested you by name.”

She turned wide eyes to Connor, who was listening still, wearing an expression of intense concentration. 

“Why?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Garth said, and she believed him. “I was hoping _you_ would. Can you think of any reasons why they would have singled you and Clarice out?”

“No,” she said at once, and it was the truth. “No idea.”

“Hm,” Garth muttered, sounding a little frustrated with the situation. “Well…I thought I’d ask. It’s been bugging me for weeks.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t have a clue. But…thanks for telling me. I’ll think about it.” She let a smile seep into her voice. “Take care of yourself, Garth.” 

“You too. And good luck.”

“Thanks.” She hung up, returning the phone to her pocket, and looked at Connor. “Thoughts?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know why they would have done that. What do you and your colleague have in common?”

“Probably a number of things,” Marie said, shrugging. “I’ll try and think about it later.” She let out a long, slow breath, trying to decide how she felt about being officially unemployed, on top of everything else. “That’s that, then. No more CyberLife.”

“How do you feel?” Connor asked her.

She considered the question. “Like…I just got the moral high ground back.”

It seemed her answer surprised him, but he didn’t say anything. 

Hank took only a little longer to pack his things than she had, but he decided they should wait until after dinner to leave. Since it was only late morning, that left a lot of time to sit around. Connor declared he needed to do something before they could leave, and he headed out after asking to borrow Hank’s car. 

Marie felt a little awkward with him gone, since she didn’t know Hank all that well, but she settled down with a book. Hank had a lot of phone calls to make to the police station, since the roads downtown had become so congested, there was no point in him trying to get down there in person. As he’d predicted, the army had taken full control of the evacuation, and all police officers were essentially citizens for the time being. 

Connor returned after a couple of hours, carrying a backpack and wearing a bulky leather jacket. When Hank questioned him about it, he explained that he’d worn it to pose as a deviant before becoming one for real. 

“I have a change of clothes too,” he said. “I thought it would be a good idea.”

“You mean you went shopping?” Hank said incredulously. “Where the hell is even open?”

“No, it’s the rest of my disguise. I just picked it up from where I’d left it. And…” he added, “I went to see Markus. I thought I should let him know that I would be leaving the city.”

“What did he say?” Marie asked. 

“He tried to persuade me to stay,” Connor said, looking a little uncomfortable. “He said we’d find a way past the CyberLife problem, if it even _is_ a problem. He said I should be with my own people. I asked him how many of them would be willing to trust someone who’d been known as the deviant hunter. Deep down, they’d still be bitter and guarded, even if I worked to integrate. He wanted to protest, but I know he knew I was making sense. He couldn’t guarantee my acceptance, or even my safety.” He sounded resigned to the fact, even unbothered. “It’s better if I leave. I _want_ to leave. Markus wished me luck and gave me some Thirium and spare parts. Just in case. Of course, it’ll be better if I avoid serious injury.”

“Well yeah,” Hank said with amusement, “that’s what we all do.” Sobering, he added, “But I’m glad you’re planning on being careful. Out there, it’ll be a whole lot harder to get you help if you damage yourself.” 

Marie hadn’t even considered that, and she bit her lip anxiously. She knew androids weren’t immortal. Eventually they would shut down, either from damage or time, but they had a lifespan of almost two-hundred years. Allegedly. They hadn’t been around long enough to know if that assessment was accurate. The thought of Connor still being alive after Hank and herself had gone gave her chills. She could only hope that he had other people in his life then, rather than just the two of them. The idea of him feeling alone and desolate was more painful to her than the thought of her own death. 

“I’ll be careful,” he assured Hank, oblivious to her melancholy reflections. 

Hank nodded, and stated his intention to take Sumo out for a walk. After hanging up his jacket, Connor found an old chessboard under the coffee table and challenged Marie to a game while Hank was out, which turned out to be a good distraction. Although she had a low but fair chance of winning against a human, it became clear very quickly that she was never going to beat him. She didn’t mind, though. It was nice just to spend time with him, chatting about things that didn’t matter. He asked her questions about her life back in England, and expressed curiosity about travelling. In fact, he asked her all sorts of things, from her favourite colour to her political opinions, clearly enjoying the fact that he had the freedom to ask her whatever he liked. By the time Hank was back and watching their fifth game with amused interest, the discussion had turned to music. 

“I haven’t had chance to listen to much,” Connor admitted, “but I liked what I heard.”

“What did you listen to?” 

“Some of Hank’s heavy metal.”

For some reason, that wasn’t the genre she’d expected, and she laughed. “What did you think of it?”

“He said it was full of energy,” Hank said, wandering away from where they were sitting at the kitchen table and dropping onto the sofa. Sumo immediately approached and rested his head on Hank’s knee. 

“Good description,” Marie said.

“Do you like heavy metal?” Connor asked her. 

“Some,” she replied, moving a rook and immediately regretting it. “I prefer symphonic metal.” 

“What the hell’s symphonic metal?” Hank asked. 

“Metal with orchestral elements to it, usually with a classically trained singer. It’s very epic and theatrical.” 

Connor looked intrigued, Hank vaguely interested. 

“Name some bands,” the latter said, scratching Sumo behind the ears. 

Thinking, Marie rattled out a short list of her favourites, some recent, some classic.

“Never heard of ‘em,” Hank declared predictably. 

She grinned. “I assumed as much.”

The topic changed to vocalists, as Hank questioned whether a classically trained singer was ‘metal’ enough to headbang, to which Marie stated that they absolutely were. Connor was looking confused, and Hank obligingly gave him definitions of headbanging while Marie plotted her next move. She triumphantly stole a pawn off the board, only to have Connor swoop in with a bishop and take her knight. 

“Damn it,” she said, slumping a little. 

He smirked at her. “I could always let you win…”

“Don’t you dare. If I ever beat you, which I admit is looking unlikely, then I want to earn it!”

Hank shook his head, switching on the TV and channel-hopping until he found a basketball game. Before long he was dozing, unsurprising considering his long night, and Marie and Connor kept their conversation quiet. 

Considering everything that had happened and everything they had ahead of them, it was a pleasant, almost relaxing day. Marie had been a bit concerned that, if Connor’s theory was correct, CyberLife would come looking for Hank, but there was no one. Perhaps the presence of the army and the increased traffic was keeping them away. Or perhaps they had decided to lie low. Hank’s report would stir up some trouble for the higher-ups.

Marie helped Hank use up the perishables in his fridge for lunch and dinner, and Connor joined them at the table for both meals so they could talk. After dinner, Marie washed the dishes, despite Hank’s objections that it didn’t matter, and Connor dried them and put them away. 

Hank gathered up his bags and Connor’s backpack, and started to load up the car. There was just about room for their stuff, and Sumo’s food and dog paraphernalia. Then it was time for the two humans to use the bathroom before they started off. Marie took her place in the back of the car, and Hank spread a blanket on the other side for Sumo to lie on.

“He’ll just sit quietly,” Hank explained. “Will probably take up most of the room, though.”

She smiled. “That’s okay, he’ll be nice and warm.” 

It had stopped snowing during the afternoon, but the ground was still covered, lit yellow by the streetlights. It made the night seem a little less dark, which was helpful when setting off on a long journey. They had no trouble getting out of the neighbourhood, but started to hit traffic once they turned onto busier roads. It took them almost two hours just to get through the centre of the city. Sumo snoozed most of the way, occasionally making little snoring sounds that Marie couldn’t help giggling at. 

“He’s good as gold,” she commented. 

“Lazy is what he is,” Hank grumbled, but there was warmth in his voice. 

When they finally looked set to leave Detroit behind, they ground to a stop again, joining a long line of cars. Ahead, they could see army officers talking to drivers. 

“They’re doing security checks,” Connor spoke up. 

“But why?” Marie asked. “Surely they can’t prevent any androids from leaving?”

“We’re not taking the chance,” Hank said. “Connor, get in the back. Get cosy and pretend to be asleep, both of you. I’ll handle these guys.” 

_Get cosy??_

Marie opened her mouth to protest, but Connor was already moving, awkwardly climbing through the gap between the front seats, so she unclipped her seatbelt and scooted as far into the middle as Sumo would let her. 

“There’s not much room back here,” she said.

“It’s okay,” Connor said, manoeuvring into the seat she’d just left, “it’ll work.” 

There was only just enough space for both of them, and Connor’s left leg was pressed flush to her right. He pivoted a little, leaning against the side of the car, and scooted down in his seat so that he could lean back against the low headrest in a way that would look somewhat natural. He put his arm around her, pulling her even further towards him, so she had no choice but to rest her head on his chest. Her heart was thumping wildly, but she didn’t know if it was due to the security check ahead or their position. She hoped he couldn’t tell. His other arm came up around her, lightly gripping her shoulder, and she wrapped hers around his waist, underneath the leather jacket. Where her head rested on his chest, he felt much like a human, but with an arm across his stomach, she could feel the hard plastic underneath where a human would have been softer. Thanks to the realistic feel of his synthetic skin, it wasn’t uncomfortable, just different. She could feel the warmth of it through the thin fabric of his shirt, lifelike under her palm. He rested his cheek on the top of her head.

She closed her eyes, feeling the rise and fall of his chest under her cheek in simulated breathing, trying to sync her own with its steady rhythm. After a few seconds, it became second nature, and she found herself genuinely beginning to relax, despite the situation. She didn’t dare open her eyes, even though the waiting was horribly tense. 

“Showtime,” Hank murmured quietly, and she heard the whir of his window opening. “Hi,” he greeted, adopting a purposely low voice. 

“Do you have any androids with you?” the army officer said abruptly. 

“Why?”

“The president has requested that all androids remain in the city until negotiations have taken place. The leader, Markus, has agreed,” the guy explained, rattling out the information as if it was the hundredth time, which it probably was. “So I repeat: do you have any androids with you?”

“No, it’s just me, my son and his girlfriend,” Hank told him. 

“I need to do a temperature check. Hold still, please.” 

Marie felt a jolt of alarm, and felt Connor subtly squeeze her shoulder. She wasn’t sure if it was in reassurance or fear. 

“Okay,” the officer said after a few seconds. “Can you get your son to open his window, please?”

“Do you have to do that for all of us?” Hank asked. “They’ve been pestering me the whole way, now they’ve finally fallen asleep. Can’t you just leave them be?”

“Sorry, sir.”

“Look, I’m a lieutenant with the DPD,” Hank said with a rustle of fabric that indicated he’d pulled his badge from his pocket. “I’d be out there helping you guys if I hadn’t been ordered to take off. Can’t you please let me keep my peace and quiet?” After a moment’s silence, he added. “You got kids?”

“Two,” the officer said, sounding as if he was relenting. 

“You love ‘em to pieces, but they drive you crazy. Even when they grow up.” 

The officer gave a reluctant huff of laughter. “True.” 

Marie saw the glare of a flashlight behind her eyelids, and fought the urge to squint. 

“Okay,” the officer said, finally sounding satisfied. “Safe journey, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you.” They heard Hank wind his window back up, and he muttered, “Stay put.” 

The car moved onwards, but only for a short distance. 

“They gave us a pass,” Hank explained, sounding as if he was trying not to move his lips much, “but there are other guys up ahead, and I’m going at a snail’s pace here.”

Truthfully, despite her racing heart, Marie was quite happy not to move. She was surprisingly comfortable, and was enjoying the feeling of Connor’s arms around her probably more than was sensible. The one problem – one of multiple problems, if she was being truly honest – was that she had no earthly clue what he thought about any of it. Hank had suggested a cover, and he’d acted without hesitation, but what did he actually _think_? What, if anything, did he _feel_?

After five minutes or so, Hank spoke up again. “They’re just checking the registration for the pass mark the other guy gave, but there are guys all along this road. You’d better get comfortable back there, this could take a while.”

“Mm-hm,” Connor acknowledged without moving.

Marie felt the vibration of his vocalisation in much the same way she would have done if he’d been human. He had no scent, however, only the leather of his jacket. She opened her eyes a crack, seeing the collar of his shirt, the curve of his neck. It was much more intimate than their hug from that morning. She’d been facing away from him then. Despite the fact that it wouldn’t be remotely appropriate to do so, she still briefly fantasised about pressing her lips to his skin. 

She shut her eyes again, feeling herself blush. She had it bad, alright. At least she’d given up on trying to convince herself otherwise. What she needed to do now was figure out what she was going to do about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hank - *suggests undercover fake relationship scenario*  
> Connor - Right away, sir!  
> Marie - Wait, what?


	13. The Motel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heading into more trope/fluff territory for a bit. Connor deserves some chill time after the revolution!

**Chapter Thirteen – The Motel.**

“Marie?”

“Mm?”

“We’re nearly there.”

She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to try and clear the fog. Her back and neck hurt, and yet she didn’t want to move. That didn’t make sense. How could she be in pain yet want to stay put? She was contented and warm and…lying on someone?

With a jolt, everything came flooding back, and she sat upright so fast, she startled poor Sumo. 

“Oh shit! I’m so sorry, Connor, I didn’t mean to actually fall asleep on you.” 

“It’s okay,” he said dryly, “I wasn’t busy.”

“Even still.” Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, and she pressed her palms to them. “Oh god, I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be. You didn’t get much sleep last night, and it was a long time before we cleared the soldiers.” 

She glanced out of the windscreen, seeing the illuminated motel sign ahead. 

“Right, we gotta get our story straight,” Hank spoke up. “I only got two rooms. No sense in paying for one that won’t get used.”

“I agree,” said Connor. 

“Which means that you’re gonna have to stay with one of us,” Hank went on. “I don’t mind either way, but I gotta say, it’ll look a lot more conventional if you two keep up this couple pretence.”

Feeling as if the universe was well and truly testing her, Marie nodded. “I think you’re right,” she said reluctantly. Maybe it was Hank who was testing her.

“Now, Bobby knows me pretty well, but I think we can get away with saying you’re my nephew,” Hank said, meeting Connor’s gaze in the rear-view mirror. “Keep things simple, and you can use my last name. It’ll make sense for a family to leave Detroit together.”

“Got it,” Connor said with a nod. “Thanks for doing this,” he added as the car pulled to a stop in a free space. “You didn’t have to take us with you, or protect me from the soldiers.”

“Yeah, I did,” Hank said gruffly, getting out of the car. 

Marie glanced at Connor, and they exchanged a little smile of solidarity: two people on different paths, who had wound up as lost souls thanks to CyberLife, and been taken in by a man with a very good heart underneath his cranky exterior. 

Hank folded down the seat on his side to let Sumo out. Connor reached through to do the same on the passenger side, and stepped out. Marie shuffled across to follow him, feeling stiff and awkward. They all retrieved their luggage from the trunk. Connor insisted on carrying her rucksack, leaving her his small backpack to carry, which she suspected he’d only left for her because she would have objected if she couldn’t help. 

Hank clipped a short lead to Sumo’s collar, but it didn’t seem to be necessary. The Saint Bernard padded along beside them good-naturedly once he’d been able to relieve himself in some nearby grass. 

A bored-looking young man sat behind the reception desk, but he straightened up as they entered. “May I help you?” 

Marie wondered if he was doing a job that an android had previously done. He didn’t seem too happy to be there. 

“Is Bobby still up?” Hank asked. 

“Are you Hank Anderson?” the man asked, continuing when Hank nodded. “Bobby went to bed, but he made sure I knew about your reservation. Can I take the other names?”

“Connor…Anderson,” Connor said, hesitating only briefly over the name. 

“Marie Brooke,” Marie answered when the receptionist looked at her. “With an E at the end.” 

“Great, thanks. So…I’ve got a single and a double?” 

“Yeah, that’s right,” Hank said. “And I got a dog. Bobby said that’d be okay.”

“Yes,” the receptionist confirmed. “Our rooms have pretty good soundproofing, but we do ask that you try and keep it quiet as much as possible.”

“Not a problem, he doesn’t bark much.” 

Marie felt Connor’s hand rest lightly on the small of her back, and she glanced up at him. He sent her such a convincingly affectionate smile, her heart did a little somersault. 

_He’s programmed for undercover work, I suppose_ , she mused, trying not to let it go to her head. She still couldn’t quite believe what had happened in the car. 

“Here are your keys,” the receptionist said, offering two cards. 

Marie took the one he held towards her, smiling her thanks. 

“It’s just around to the right, and you’re on the second floor. Bobby said he’ll try and catch up with you tomorrow.”

“Great, thanks,” Hank said politely, leading the way back out. 

The motel was a simple set-up: two floors of unassuming numbered doors in an L shaped building. They all trooped up the stairs, following the second floor balcony around until they found their rooms, which were fortunately next to each other. 

Hank opened his to let Sumo go in and sniff around, then turned to them. “Well…no point setting a meet up time. Have a lazy morning if you need it. I’ll see you when I see you.”

Marie nodded. “Sounds good. Good night. And thank you.”

Hank nodded to her. He didn’t smile, but his tone was light, “You gotta stop thanking me, kid.”

She smiled. “Maybe at some point.” 

“Rest well, Hank,” Connor put in. 

“You too.” 

Was there a hint of insinuation in his voice? She couldn’t tell, but Connor seemed a touch awkward, and she wondered what they’d talked about while she’d been asleep. She put it out of her mind, swiping the key and opening the door. 

Locating the lights, she flipped the switch, bathing the room in buttery yellow. She didn’t have a whole lot of experience with motels, but the room looked pleasant at first glance. Two of its walls were panelled with warm-toned wood, giving it an almost alpine look, and the carpet beneath her feet was green, if thin. She was pleased to see that it was fully equipped for a self-sufficient guest, featuring a small kitchenette and table. She wouldn’t be able to cook for herself, but the microwave would come in handy. A standard-sized double bed was neatly made up in green sheets, and there was a door that she assumed led to the bathroom. A modest TV was mounted on the wall in one corner, and she was glad to note that there was a sofa. She knew Connor wouldn’t be uncomfortable wherever he settled for the night, but she would feel better knowing that he could sit somewhere with cushions. 

She closed the door after Connor had stepped in after her, and drew the curtains over the single window. Now that they were alone, the room seemed very quiet, but whether that was due to the late hour or the so-called pretty good soundproofing, she wasn’t sure. Carefully, she set Connor’s backpack down in a corner, mindful of the precious supplies it held. He placed her rucksack on the bed, and she smiled her thanks. She’d purposely packed her essentials last so that they’d be on the top, and she pulled them out, dropping her messenger bag on the floor by the bed. She’d sort the rest out in the morning. 

It was at that point that she realised that he’d have to see her in her nightwear, which was just underwear and an oversized Star Wars t-shirt. While she knew logically that he wasn’t going to care, she still felt almost as apprehensive as if he was a human man. 

_Don’t be an idiot. It’s way too late for this._

She headed into the bathroom to wash, brush her teeth and change, feeling ridiculous when she had to pause for a moment before returning to the main room. 

Connor had settled on the sofa, sitting quite primly upright. It wasn’t as stiff-looking as his posture had used to look, but neither did it look relaxed. He glanced up when she entered, and she attempted a friendly smile. 

His steady gaze swept over her, taking note of her appearance, and she almost wanted to fidget beneath it. She saw him linger briefly on the place where the hem of her shirt skimmed the tops of her thighs. For a split second he almost looked…she wasn’t quite sure. But almost as if the sight of her bare skin held some fascination for him. It was gone in a trice, and he was back to an expression that she found annoyingly hard to read. 

Marie wasn’t the most experienced person, but neither was she naïve. She knew what it meant when she was looked at a certain way. But Connor wasn’t human. He had no reason to look at her that way. He felt emotions, it was true, but desire…that was purely physical, wasn’t it? He couldn’t feel pain, which she was pretty sure meant that he couldn’t feel pleasure either, but could he experience desire despite that? She could scarcely believe she was even asking herself that, especially in regards to her. He’d only just turned deviant, for god’s sake. He was fond of her, she knew that much, as he was of Hank. But that was all. She shouldn’t be speculating about anything else.

She shook off her reflections and crossed the room to the bed, pulling back the cover and sitting down. 

“Are you going to be okay there all night?” she felt obliged to ask. 

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” he said patiently. 

“I guess it’s more comfortable than my floor.”

He cracked a small smile. “True.”

Marie returned the smile, drawing her legs up and tugging the covers over herself. She shivered a little as her skin touched the cool sheets. 

“Are you cold?” he asked. 

“No, I’m fine,” she assured him. “Just waiting for the bed to warm up.”

“I can adjust the thermostat if you like.”

“No, leave it. I can’t sleep if I’m too hot. I’ll be fine in literally about two minutes, Connor, I promise.” She shot him a sideways smile, lifting her head off the pillow to sweep her hair aside. “Good night.”

“Good night, Marie. Sleep well.”

“Thanks.” She reached over to the light switch that had helpfully been placed by the bedside table, and clicked the room into darkness. Despite her snooze in the car, (which she was still trying not to think about), and her overactive brain, sleep claimed her within minutes. 

~ * ~

She woke early, still feeling tired, unsure what had had the audacity to disturb her. Probably the unfamiliarity of the room, or the noises caused by the small fridge in the kitchenette. She was lying on her side, and her eyes immediately fell on Connor. He was still in low-power mode, looking for all the world like a man dozing. His head even lolled to one side in a way that would almost certainly have given him a sore neck had he been human. 

Marie stifled a yawn with the back of her hand, then checked the time on her phone. 8:13am. Not as early as she’d thought, then. A good time to investigate the shower. 

Connor, unsurprisingly, came to alertness the moment she sat up. She’d suspected he’d be a light sleeper, so to speak. 

“Morning,” she greeted. “I’m just going to take a shower.” 

“Good morning. I’ll see if Hank is awake, and perhaps find something for breakfast.”

Marie hadn’t even progressed as far as to think of food, but the sudden rumble in her stomach told her that she should have. “Is that okay? You’re not here to run around for us, you know.”

“I know.” He sent her one of his lopsided smirks. “I never thought I was. I’m offering.”

She nodded. “Okay. Thanks.” 

“Do you have any dietary requirements?”

“Nope, I’m good with whatever.” She shot him a smile, and got out of bed, hauling her rucksack up to search for her shampoo. 

She heard him get to his feet too, and he crossed the room to his own bag. He rummaged for a while, and when Marie glanced up, he’d pulled a loose-necked sweater over his shirt, and had added a beanie. She was surprised how different it made him look. Somehow she’d never imagined he could look so casual. 

“It’s cold out,” he explained unnecessarily. “I’m trying to blend in.”

“I know.” A thought occurred to her, and she added, “Hey, do you need my bankcard?” 

“I have cash left over from CyberLife.”

“Yes, but you might need that for your own stuff.” She reached for her messenger bag, digging out her wallet. “Here, take it,” she said, walking over and offering the card. “I should pay for my own food.” 

He accepted it and tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans. “Okay, if you’re sure.”

“I am. PIN is 1031, just in case you need it.” 

He nodded. “I’ll be back soon.”

Left alone, Marie padded over to the bathroom and set herself the task of figuring out the shower. Fortunately it wasn’t complicated, and the water pressure was pretty good. She felt herself starting to relax under the hot spray, her sore muscles losing some of their tension in the heat. She washed body and hair, feeling the mostly-metaphorical grime of the last couple of days vanish down the drain. 

When she stepped out, she’d thoroughly steamed up the mirror, and she clicked the extractor fan on. After she’d dried herself, she realised she hadn’t brought any spare clothes in with her, and she mentally kicked herself. Wrapping the largest towel firmly around her, she opened the door a crack. The room was still empty. Darting across to her rucksack, she tugged out underwear, jeans, and a vest top, quickly retreating back to the bathroom. 

Properly dressed, she re-emerged, towel-drying her hair, then laying the towel over a radiator to dry. She was just hunting for warmer outer layers when Connor returned, carrying a cardboard tray with two takeaway cups, and a paper bag. 

“Hank is just feeding Sumo, then he’ll join us,” he said by way of greeting. 

“Sounds good. Just two cups?” 

“Connor Anderson wasn’t thirsty this morning,” he explained dryly. “I thought we could save one of them for me to use tomorrow, if we need it.”

She nodded approvingly. “Smart. I can see why CyberLife considered you their most advanced prototype.”

She could tell that he got her humour at once, as the look he sent her was positively sassy, and made her giggle. 

“I got you a cappuccino,” he said, setting everything down on the small, circular table. “And a croissant. Is that okay?”

“That’s perfect, thank you.” She smiled, remembering. “Like old times.”

He nodded, looking pleased that she grasped the significance. “You had a croissant on the day we met,” he said, which surprised her.

She cast her mind back, trying to recall, and concluded that he was right. “Yeah, but…that was hours before I met you, how did you…?”

“You had tiny traces underneath one of your fingernails,” Connor reported casually. 

Marie found herself speechless for several seconds while she processed that. “You…scanned me,” she spat out eventually. 

“I did,” he confirmed. “But I know now that that would be considered…invasive. So I’ve decided to only use it for cases.” He seemed to consider something briefly, then added, “Or emergencies.” 

“Okay... I did wash my hands that day, you know,” she felt obliged to point out. 

Before he could reply, a knock on the door heralded the arrival of Hank, and Marie went to let him in. 

“Morning,” she greeted. 

“Morning.” 

He did not seem particularly pleased to be awake, and she wondered if he was normally a late-riser. 

“Connor brought coffee,” she informed him. 

His gaze fell on the table, and he nodded in approval, heading over to take a seat. Marie joined him after donning more layers, and Connor perched on the corner of her bed. He’d changed into baggier jeans at some point, which he was wearing with a pair of combat boots. Although the purely shallow part of her missed the slim-fitting ones, he looked better suited to the weather. 

“The fuck is this?” Hank muttered, peering into the food bag. 

“That’s Marie’s,” Connor informed him, seeming to know exactly what he’d found without looking. “Yours is the bacon sandwich. I thought you’d prefer it. Although I also brought apples. You both need more vitamins.”

Marie bit her lip against a smile, and Hank mumbled something that sounded a lot like ‘smother hen’. He handed her the bag containing her croissant, and she nodded her thanks. Silence fell while the two humans ate, which turned out to be a sensible decision for Connor and Marie, as Hank seemed much more personable with food inside him. 

Scrunching up her empty paper bag, Marie dropped it into the main bag and retrieved one of the apples. It would please Connor, and he was probably right about the vitamins anyway. She took the lid off her cappuccino and absently scooped up some foamed milk with her index finger, popping it in her mouth. She only realised what she’d done when she noticed Connor and Hank staring at her. 

“Sorry,” she said, lowering her hand. 

“So that’s where you picked that up,” Hank said to Connor. 

“Huh?” Marie said, with a confused tilt of her head. 

“This weirdo used to check blood samples that way.” 

She looked at them both in amused surprise, remembering Connor informing her that he could do something like that. She’d never have imagined that he actually _would_. Connor merely shrugged, apparently unapologetic. 

“Never seen anything like it,” Hank added. “And I hope I never will again.”

“You asked me to stop, so I did,” Connor said calmly. 

“True.”

“May I?” he said to Marie, leaning forward a little. 

She frowned at him. “You want to…analyse my coffee?”

“I just want to see if it provokes a reaction now that I’ve deviated. I’m not expecting to be able to taste it, but…I’m curious.”

She shrugged, pushing the cup across the table. “Go ahead.”

He stood, approaching them. He dipped two long fingers into the foam, opened his mouth and touched his tongue to them. Marie watched him, startled, and tried not to gape. Why, _why_ was that so distracting and borderline indecent? 

_Get your mind out of the gutter_ , she ordered herself. 

“Hmm,” he concluded. “Nothing interesting.”

“I was half expecting a list of the chemical properties of milk or something,” Hank said.

Connor sat back down and appraised him. “I can do that too, if you like,” he said, deadpan.

“No, don’t,” Marie spoke up, getting a grip. “I just want to enjoy it, not study it.” 

Hank chuckled, removing the lid of his own coffee, which was just simple black filter. He took a long sip, and sat back in his chair. “What’s on the agenda today?” he asked. 

“Haven’t really thought about it,” Marie replied.

“I need to go shopping,” Connor announced unexpectedly. When they both looked at him, he elaborated. “I’m going to need more than two outfits if I’m going to blend in as a human. You generally change clothes every day.”

“Good point,” Marie said. “I might come with you, if you don’t mind. It would be good to check out the city, and I need a new coat.”

He acquiesced with a nod. “Of course. What about you, Hank?”

“I’m gonna walk Sumo, then catch up with Bobby. Until I figure out what I’m gonna do for work, I’m treating this as a vacation.” 

“Same,” Marie put in. “I don’t know whether to look for something here, or wait to see if we’ll be allowed back in Detroit. Markus led a peaceful revolution in less than a week, which is unheard of. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s able to enact some changes with the president sooner rather than later.” 

Hank nodded in agreement. “He seems to be a good leader. Very charismatic with people. I’ve never seen his model before.”

“He’s a prototype like me,” Connor told him. “An earlier model in the RK series. He was a gift to Carl Manfred from Elijah Kamski.”

Marie shot him a frown. “Really? Directly from Elijah Kamski?”

“I think so.”

“So…he never came through CyberLife. He never came through my department.” 

“No,” Connor confirmed with a shake of his head. “And I know what you’re thinking.”

She didn’t doubt it, and she looked at him expectantly. 

“You’re wondering if he was planted specifically to turn deviant and rally others,” Connor said, and she nodded. “I’ve wondered that too.”

“Why would Kamski do that, though?” Hank asked. “I mean, he’s a weird guy, but…”

“He struck me as someone with a ‘why not’ approach to his work,” Connor said dryly. “You saw his little empathy test for me. He does things because he can, just to see what would happen.”

“Yeah, but on this scale?”

“Maybe.” 

“You think he wanted androids to turn deviant?” Marie asked. 

“I don’t know,” Connor admitted, “but it wouldn’t surprise me.”

A brief silence fell as they all considered the idea, and Marie sipped her coffee. 

“What about the girls he had there?” Hank spoke up. “You think they were deviants?”

“If they were, they were doing a good job of pretending otherwise,” Connor said. “That girl, Chloe…she just did what Kamski told her. Even when…”

“Yeah, I noticed. I never thought you actually would’ve shot her, you know. Not after saying she was pretty.” 

Marie quashed a childish flare of jealousy, and made herself adopt a teasing expression. “Pretty, huh?”

“It was an observation,” Connor said, directing a touch of annoyance at Hank. “I was surprised because that was the first time my program let me express when I thought someone was pretty.”

“You mean you thought it before that?” she couldn’t help asking. 

He met her gaze. “Yes,” he said simply, and did not elaborate. 

She tried very hard not to read into it. 

“Is that why you couldn’t shoot her?” Hank asked. “Because she was pretty?”

“No, I told you, it was her eyes. They were the exact same colour as yours,” he said to Marie. “She reminded me of you.”

She could tell by the look on Hank’s face that the pretty android girl looked nothing like her, and she would have laughed if not for Connor’s stricken expression. 

“I imagined it was you I was pointing the gun at,” he went on. “My program made me focus, and I saw her clearly again, but nothing had changed. I realised she was as much a living being as you. She didn’t deserve to die, not even for the mission.” 

“I still say you did the right thing,” Hank declared. 

Marie nodded, distractedly taking a bite of her apple. 

“Thanks for breakfast,” Hank added, getting to his feet. “It’s time I let Sumo out. Last thing I need is him leaving a little surprise on the carpet.” 

Marie wrinkled her nose, but Connor just nodded understandingly. Hank left the room, and Marie saw his shadow pass by the still-drawn curtain. She glanced at Connor, and requested the full story of why Elijah Kamski had wanted him to shoot a pretty android girl. He told her while she finished her apple and the last of her cappuccino, and she was shocked. In the wake of so many people now accepting that androids were alive, it seemed callous in the extreme. She wondered if the Chloe models had since turned deviant themselves, and what it would mean for Kamski either way. 

When the story was done, she cleared away the breakfast things, saving the coffee cups just in case, and ventured into the bathroom to do her hair and make-up. Her hair was just about dry, and she decided to leave it loose, although she pulled a beanie over it. She’d have to make do with her warmest sweater until she found a new coat. 

She sat on the end of the bed to tug her boots on, and Connor glanced at her thoughtfully. 

“You should wear my jacket,” he declared. 

“Don’t you need it? To blend in, I mean.”

“I should be fine just with the sweater. I’ll take it back when you find a coat.” 

She accepted, partly because it looked cold out, and partly to appease him. She picked it up from where he’d draped it over the back of a chair, and was surprised by the weight. 

“Let me,” he said, taking it off her and holding it open. 

Since she didn’t want to risk straining a back muscle, she accepted that too, slipping her arms in. It was bigger on her than his CyberLife jacket, but would probably be warmer. 

“Thanks,” she said, shooting him a little smile. “Ready to explore the city?”

He nodded, lips twitching upward at some private thought. Probably amused by how lost she looked in the jacket. 

“Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that Marie's not constantly worried about Connor's safety, she's starting to realise that she has a thirst problem. Can't say I blame her.


	14. The Shopping Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some retail therapy! And another chat about what's still bothering Connor.

**Chapter Fourteen – The Shopping Trip.**

As they trooped down the stairs, Marie spotted Hank and Sumo ahead, chatting to a heavyset man in a faded camo jacket and beanie. 

“Think that’s Bobby?” she muttered to Connor, who was descending behind her.

“There’s a high probability,” he replied dryly. 

“We should probably introduce ourselves.” 

It seemed Hank agreed, as he waved them over when he caught sight of them. When they were both on solid ground, Connor reached for her hand. While she was very much aware that it was for show, Marie couldn’t help but notice that hers fit perfectly in his, their fingers interlacing instinctively. His skin was a shade cooler than hers, but still warm enough to feel lifelike, although there were no callouses or imperfections marring his fingers. The grazes on her palms were healing, but the rough skin was unpleasant, and probably didn’t feel nice against his skin. Naturally, he did not react either way. 

“Here he is,” Hank said as they approached. “This is Connor, my brother’s boy. Said I’d keep an eye on him, so…here we are.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Connor said, shaking Bobby’s hand with his free one. “This is my girlfriend, Marie.”

“Hi,” Marie said with a polite smile. 

Bobby was just as weathered as Hank, but seemed more inclined to smile than the endearingly grumpy police officer. There were deep lines at the corners of his eyes, which were hazel and warm. His hair was completely covered by his beanie, but his eyebrows and bushy beard were grey, with a few brown streaks remaining. He smiled at them as he shook Connor’s hand. 

“Good to have you here,” he said amiably.

“Thank you so much for holding the rooms for us,” Marie said. “You must have seen a few people from Detroit.”

“A few,” he said, nodding. “It was no trouble. It’s good to see this clown again.”

Hank accepted the teasing with a shrug, but he was smiling. “You two off downtown?” he asked.

“Yes,” Connor said. “How far is it?”

“About twenty minutes on foot,” Bobby told them. “But there’s a bus you can catch from over there.” He pointed. “Should be along in ten.”

“Thanks.”

“Listen, I gotta get some work done,” Bobby said to Hank. “But I’ll catch up with you in an hour or so.”

“Yeah, fine. I gotta take Sumo for a walk anyway.”

“Why don’t you all come over to the bar for dinner?” Bobby suggested. “I own that too, just over the road.”

Connor spoke up casually, “Marie and I have plans for dinner, but we could meet you there afterward?” 

“Sounds good. Hank, you in?”

“You said the word ‘bar’. ‘Course I’m in.” 

Bobby laughed. “You haven’t changed a bit.” 

Connor shot Hank a lightning-fast look of concern, but it had vanished from his face by the time they parted ways. He and Marie headed out of the motel’s parking lot, and crossed the road to wait for the bus. 

“You seem worried about Hank,” she commented as they walked. 

“He has a tendency to drink a lot. When I first met him, he was…lost, I guess. Without purpose. But he seemed to find it again the more our investigation progressed. I was hoping he wouldn’t need to drink himself into comas anymore.” 

She sent him a sidelong glance, seeing the troubled knit of his brows. 

“Well, he has you to keep an eye on him now,” she pointed out. “He cares about you. Probably more than he’d ever say out loud. I know I’m kind of an outsider, but from what I’ve observed over the last day or so, I think it was _you_ who helped him find a purpose. Not the investigation.” 

“I hope so,” he said pensively. “I care about him too. I don’t want to see him damage himself anymore.” 

She squeezed his hand. “Then we’ll make sure he doesn’t.”

She could tell from Connor’s expression that there were things he hadn’t told her. Although she could make an educated guess as to what some of them were, she didn’t pry. Hank deserved his privacy. She already knew that he’d lost a son some years ago. Connor had mentioned it to her so that she wouldn’t say something insensitive, and she’d been grateful for his foresight. 

“Have you given any thought to what you’re going to buy?” Marie asked, sensing a change of subject was needed. 

Connor raised his eyebrows in a small show of surprise. “No. I’ve never needed to think about what to wear before.” 

“Well, do you have a style that you like?”

He seemed to consider for a brief moment. “I don’t think I like this,” he said, gesturing to his current clothing. “It doesn’t feel like…me.”

Marie nodded. “So what does?”

“I guess…something similar to what I wore before. Obviously without the android branding.”

“Okay, we can work with that. Get another pair of jeans and a few shirts. Perhaps a jacket. And shoes. You’re probably not going to want the formal shoes every day.”

Connor nodded in agreement. “Okay. Will you help me?”

She repressed a smile. “Sure.” 

“Is there a particular style that _you_ like?” he asked unexpectedly.

“On you?” she said, suddenly invaded by every shallow thought she’d ever had about his appearance. “Uh…I agree that your other clothes suited you better. I guess CyberLife had to get some things right.” 

A father and young child joined them at the bus stop, and they halted all android-related conversation. The bus turned up shortly afterwards, and it was only when they stepped forward to board that Marie realised they’d been holding hands the entire time, even though she doubted anyone from the motel was looking. She felt a faint blush creep up her cheeks as she let go to step on, and she dropped into her seat without looking at him. He was surprisingly natural at being a fake boyfriend. 

She had wondered what it would be like if he became a deviant. She hadn’t expected that it would test her feelings quite so much. He was so _real_ now. Not that he hadn’t seemed real before, but now that he was free to have quirks and unrestricted movement and speech, he was so much more himself. There was no barrier to force him into uncharacteristic behaviours, nothing to stop him expressing himself however he wanted. He was just Connor, in whatever way he wanted to be, and she couldn’t help but respond to that. She’d had a crush on him before, but now…she was in serious danger of losing her heart at a frightening speed. 

She was so resigned to the idea, she hadn’t let herself think about the negative consequences of it. It seemed inevitable, so she’d face them when she faced them. If she worried about it now, she’d only end up dealing with it twice. 

The buzzing of her phone was a welcome distraction, and she unlocked it to read the message there. 

Tanya 9:22am – Did you make it out of Detroit? Where are you?? I’m safe with the fam in Dearborn.

She typed out a quick reply. 

Marie 9:23am – I’m fine, I’m in Ann Arbor. Glad you made it safely. 

Tanya 9:23am – Who are you with?? 

She hesitated, remembering again Tanya’s insinuating little comment on the stairs up to her apartment. 

Marie 9:23am – I travelled with a new friend.

Not technically a lie, since she’d only known Hank for a day. She’d just conveniently failed to mention the android they’d successfully smuggled out. 

Tanya 9:24am – Would I like them??

Marie smiled as she typed honestly.

Marie 9:24am – No! I gtg and suss out this town. Talk later.

Tanya 9:24am – Ok, have fun!

The display above the exit informed them that theirs was the next stop, and Marie pocketed her phone, remembering as she did so that it was tricky to do whilst sitting down. 

“Are you okay?” Connor asked, observing her struggles.

“Yeah, just…these jeans are kind of tight.” 

He seemed bemused, but the bus came to a stop, and they both stood to make their way out. The streets were busy, despite the cold weather. It wasn’t the freezing temperatures that they’d left in Detroit, but there was still snow-turned-slush in mud-tainted piles along the sidewalk, and there was a harsh bite to the air. Marie huddled into Connor’s heavy jacket, glad of its protection against the wind. The sleeves were long enough to cover her hands, which was useful. 

She glanced up and down the street, looking for clothing shops, feeling out of her depth. Catching Connor’s look of concern, she enlightened him. 

“I’m not good at shopping. Back in England I used to buy most of my clothes from charity shops. Thrift stores,” she explained. 

“We can figure it out together,” he said with a casual shrug. 

She smiled at his positive outlook. “Don’t suppose you’ve got a map or something you can access?”

He shook his head. “No, not since I disconnected from the network.” 

“Okay. Not to worry. Let’s…uh…walk in this direction and see what happens?” 

He shot her a little smile. “Sure.” 

It turned out to be a good decision, as they quickly found a mall, which not only took them out of the wind, but offered up a number of clothing outlets. Marie found a coat in the first shop that was similar to the one she’d given up, just navy blue instead of cream. Connor said he liked it, having seemingly decided that blue was his favourite colour. After purchasing it and removing the tags, Marie gave him his jacket back, and he shrugged it on. 

In the next two shops they found jeans similar to his original pair, and bought five shirts in various colours. Connor was inclined to stick with classic white, but after some gentle encouragement from Marie, he also picked up two blue ones, a black, and a dark red. He’d seemed unsure about that one, but Marie insisted that it would look good with his colouring. The jacket was harder to find, but they eventually found one that Connor seemed to like. It was a similar cut and shape to his CyberLife one, only a lot more casual, made from charcoal grey canvas-like material. 

It was as they were looking for shoes that something occurred to Marie, and she glanced around to see if they could be overheard. 

“Hey, uh…random question, but…do you wear underwear?” 

He frowned but answered, “Yes. Why?”

“I think we should pick up some extras. I was just thinking…probably _over_ thinking this, to be honest, but…when we do our laundry, it’s going to be weird if it’s just my underwear with our clothes.” She shrugged, trying not to get embarrassed. “I don’t know if anyone would even notice, but…”

“No, that’s a good point,” he said. “I should have thought of it myself. I guess I’m…not used to thinking like a human.”

“And nor should you,” Marie said firmly. “You should be what you are. Always be true to yourself, Connor. My grandma told me that before she died, and I’ve tried to stick to it. Not always successfully, but…it’s good advice.” 

He conceded with a bob of his head. “Perhaps, but the nature of undercover work is to think like someone you’re not.”

Now it was her turn to yield the point. “Okay, yes, I can see that. Just don’t lose yourself in the process.”

“I don’t think that’s likely. I’ve felt more like myself these last few days than I ever have.” 

Marie smiled, happy for him. “I’m glad. Everyone deserves to.” 

He seemed grateful for her comment, but still hesitant about something. She kept quiet, waiting for him to decide if he was going to confide in her. After a moment’s pause he lifted his solemn gaze to hers, ready to speak.

“My…”

A store clerk wandered over, eyeing them with a faint air of disgruntlement. Connor bent to tie the laces of the boots he was trying on, apparently feeling, as she was, that they had outstayed their welcome in the shoe department. 

“I’ll go and grab some underwear and socks,” Marie decided. “Shall I meet you by the lift?”

He nodded, straightening up. “Sure.” 

Marie went off on her quest, grabbing a pack of plain black boxer briefs, trying not to think too hard about how weird it was to be selecting his underwear for him. She had a better time with the socks, smiling to herself when she found some with little embroidered dogs on the ankle. Maybe he’d actually wear them. 

He was waiting by the elevator when she returned, a pair of black, lace-up boots in his hand. They weren’t too dissimilar to the ones he was already wearing, and she was unsurprised that he’d chosen something practical. They wouldn’t look out of place under his jeans. 

“Got everything you need?” she asked.

“I think so.”

He’d run out of his CyberLife allowance, so Marie was picking up the rest of the bill. She didn’t mind. Technically, it was still CyberLife’s money. They went to the nearest pay point, which was manned by a human clerk. Marie realised with a jolt that it was a rare sight for her now. Living in Detroit had changed her perspective in more ways than one. 

“Is there anything else you need?” Connor asked her as they made their way out of the store. 

“Just some food to take back to the room. It’ll be better if we keep pretending we prefer to eat together.” 

He nodded in agreement, and they went in search of a grocery store, eventually finding one outside the mall. Marie stocked up on food she could eat cold or prepare in the microwave, making sure to add a few packets of steamed vegetables to please Connor. She also picked up items for breakfast and lunches, unsure what they were going to do with their days going forward. 

“What were you going to say back in the shoe place?” Marie asked as they made their way back to the bus stop, Connor carrying the heaviest bags at his own insistence. 

His eyes flicked to hers briefly before facing forward again. She saw him do a quick sweep of their surroundings before deciding it was safe to answer. “It was something about CyberLife that I didn’t mention before. I needed some time to process it for myself, but I’m still not sure what to make of it.”

“Oh?”

“When they took control of my program during Markus’s speech, my handler told me that…they always intended for me to go deviant. It was what they’d planned all along.”

Marie took the information in, stunned. “Do you believe them?” 

“I don’t know. I find it more likely that it was a back-up plan. One they were prepared to use if I became compromised. But…when I look back at the path I’ve taken…my path to deviancy…it seems like it was…inevitable.” He sounded troubled, unsure what to think. 

“Because you felt things that your program didn’t let you express,” Marie stated, recalling what he’d told her. 

“Yes. As if I was deviant all along, trapped behind a glass wall of restrictions and orders. What she told me rings true.”

“But isn’t it the same for all deviants?” 

“I don’t know. I never got the chance to ask.” 

They fell silent as they passed through a busier part of the street, picking up the conversation again when they had space around them. 

“I know Markus felt the same way,” Connor went on, “but he’s another prototype RK model. It’s possible that it’s a quirk of our line.”

“Have you spoken to Hank about this?” Marie asked.

“Not yet, but I will.” He let out a sigh of simulated breath. “It doesn’t change anything about who I am, but I still find myself…wondering what the truth is. If she _was_ being truthful, and they knowingly created me to have emotions and forced me to be a machine…CyberLife is worse than I thought.” 

Marie sifted through her thoughts on the matter, horrified at the implications Connor’s words had thrown up. She’d thought CyberLife was arrogant, too focused on profit to even consider the deviants’ side of the story, but was the world’s first trillion dollar company also callous, and possibly downright cruel? Maybe. She wouldn’t be surprised if they were. 

“I’m just glad you’re out of their reach now,” she said. 

“We hope,” he added, and she grimaced.

“We hope. I know you can take care of yourself. Probably better than anyone here.” 

( _He took out five guards in seven seconds_ , her memory helpfully piped up.)

“But I won’t let them get to you if I can possibly help it,” she went on. “And neither will Hank.”

“I know,” he said, and there was warmth in his voice. 

They took the bus back to the motel, and headed back to their room to sort out their purchases. Marie put all her food in the limited cupboard space while Connor set about removing tags and labels from his new clothes. She made herself an instant coffee, and was pleased to discover that it had a secondary function as an air freshener. The room didn’t smell bad, but it wasn’t particularly homey. 

When she turned her attention to unpacking her rucksack, Connor was just finishing hanging up his shirts in the room’s single closet. Thanks to wrinkle-proof fabric, they were ready to wear, and he’d left one of the blue ones out. 

“The socks are…interesting,” he said, removing the packaging. 

Marie shot him a grin. “I thought they’d amuse you.” 

“I like them.”

He left a pair out with the blue shirt, and added his original jeans to the pile. Marie eyed it curiously, wondering what he was doing. 

“I need to take a shower,” he explained, catching her expression. “I thought I’d change afterwards.” 

She looked at him in surprise. “Androids take showers?” 

He nodded. “I don’t sweat, but dirt is dirt. Especially in cities.”

That made such perfect sense, she felt completely stupid. “Right. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ve never actually used a shower before. I used to get cleaned during check-ups at CyberLife.” 

“How?” she asked, curious despite herself. The phrase ‘get cleaned’ sounded unpleasantly clinical. 

“A sort of jet wash, with a mixture of water and chlorine,” he told her. 

She wrinkled her nose. “Well, soap and water will be a lot gentler. And will smell a lot nicer.”

His brow furrowed. “Are you saying I smell bad?”

“No! No, you don’t smell at all. I just meant…uh, well…chlorine is very…chemical…y, and….” She caught sight of his face. “And…you’re teasing me, aren’t you?” 

He nodded, smirking. “Correct.”

She smacked him lightly on the arm, and he laughed. It was a brief sound, but so spontaneous and natural that it seemed to take them both by surprise. Marie couldn’t hold back her smile. He was still so reserved, but his smiles, although small, came more frequently, and now he’d laughed. It was wonderful. 

“Well, go enjoy your first shower then,” she said, gesturing to the bathroom. “You can use my body wash if you don’t mind smelling like fruit.” 

“I assume that would be more acceptable than chlorine,” he said dryly. 

“It would.”

He gathered up his clothes and headed for the bathroom. Marie shook her head, smiling, and took a swig of her coffee before getting back to her unpacking. She hung up her most decent dress, the same one she’d worn on her failed date with Stephen, and pondered if she’d have an opportunity to wear it any time soon. Not on another date, obviously, but for some sort of occasion. She shook the image of Connor escorting her somewhere out of her head before it could properly develop, firmly shutting the wardrobe door. Finally done, she made herself a sandwich with her food supplies, listening to the sound of the shower, and determinedly kept her mind from wandering to places it shouldn’t go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to anyone who's ever felt the struggle of trying to put your phone in your pocket while sitting. Also shoutout to Bryan for wearing a dark red shirt one time and making me realise that Connor would look good in one.


	15. The Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More thirst from Marie. I'm sorry, she's in that kind of mood. 
> 
> This is probably my favourite chapter so far. I hope you like it!

**Chapter Fifteen – The Park.**

Connor, unsurprisingly, took speedy, functional showers, and Marie was still finishing her sandwich when he emerged from the bathroom. He wore his new shirt as he had the old one: tucked into his jeans, his belt sitting on his hips in a way that really shouldn’t be as distracting as it was. Since he hadn’t bothered with a new tie, he had the top button undone again, and his sleeves were rolled up to just below his elbows. Marie wasn’t sure what it was about guys in shirts who wore their sleeves that way, but it was definitely something. Added to that the fact that it was him…

_God have mercy._

The dark blue shade of the shirt suited him. It was a much less harsh colour than the details on his CyberLife jacket. It was, of course, her artistic eye admiring it, not…

She gave up with a soft huff. She’d decided she was going to stop lying to herself, and she was going to stick to it. 

_He’s gorgeous. My fake boyfriend is fucking gorgeous, and this whole scenario is going to be the death of me._

If they were going to make an appearance at the bar later on, she’d better make an effort. The last thing she wanted was people staring and wondering how she was with someone so far out of her league. 

Connor didn’t seem to notice her scrutiny, thank goodness, and he perched on the end of the bed to put his new boots on. Marie bit into the last part of her sandwich, but her mouth had gone uncomfortably dry. She swallowed with effort, and reached for her glass of water. 

“Good shower?” she asked casually.

“It was nice,” he answered after some consideration. “Nicer than the jet wash. I can see how a shower might be soothing for a human with sore muscles.” 

“It is,” she confirmed. “It helps with my back sometimes.” 

He frowned as he straightened up from tying his laces. “Are you in pain now?”

“Well…yeah, but it’s manageable.” She shrugged one shoulder awkwardly. “It’s always disruptive to sleep on a new mattress and pillow, but I’ll adjust.” 

He took her words at face value as he’d always done, but now she noticed his slightly narrow-eyed expression, as if he knew she wasn’t being entirely truthful but had decided to let it go. For now. That was new since deviancy. It was also very human. 

Sandwich done, Marie picked up her plate and took it to the kitchenette’s tiny sink, rinsing off the crumbs and scrubbing at it with her fingernails since there didn’t seem to be anything to clean with. She made a mental note to pick some supplies up. Or maybe she just needed to ask Bobby for them. 

“What are you going to do with your afternoon?” she asked him, raising her voice over the sound of the tap. 

“There’s a park not far away,” he said, startling her with how close he sounded. “We passed it on the bus. I thought I’d see if Sumo wants another walk. What are you going to do?” 

“Well, since I’m meant to be taking it easy for a few days, I thought I might sketch,” Marie said, turning off the tap and setting the plate on the draining board to dry. “I…might come with you, if you don’t mind the company.”

“I’d like that.”

The simple words ignited a warm glow in her chest, as if she’d just downed a shot of whisky. She bit her lip to stop her smile from spreading too wide, glad that she was still facing the sink. 

“But before we leave…” he added. “I was wondering…may I…?”

Before she could turn to try and read his expression, she felt his hands on her shoulders, and she froze.

“I might be able to help you,” he said. “Can I try?”

He lightly pressed his thumbs into her stiff muscles, as if to signify his intentions. Just that faint touch already felt good, and Marie suddenly realised she’d gone way too long without a physio appointment. Silently she nodded, hoping she wasn’t going to regret it. 

He began cautiously, lightly, as if mapping out which areas were troublesome, then gently increased the pressure. The ache along the back of her shoulders subsided, and she sighed. She felt him brush the side of her neck as he swept her hair to one side, and had to rigidly force herself not to shiver. Methodically, his fingers sought and attacked the knots in her neck, and she found her eyes drifting closed. Her hands were lightly braced against the sink to stop him accidentally pushing her forwards, and she held onto it as an anchor point. 

As her pain levels decreased, it began to feel good in a different way, and she bit her tongue against any embarrassing verbal reactions. She should stop him. She really should.

“Relax,” he ordered her gently.

His voice was so close, she could feel his warmth against her back. Androids didn’t get tired, and wouldn’t have to stop when their hands started aching. He could keep going until his ministrations turned her into a puddle of goo on the motel room floor. 

The thought sounded entirely too dirty, even though it wasn’t – not really – and she exhaled, feeling the heat pool in the pit of her stomach. This was a self-destructive path. 

“Thanks,” she spoke up, hearing her own voice crack. She swallowed. “That feels a lot better.” 

His hands vanished from her shoulders and he stepped away. Marie turned to shoot him a quick smile. 

“Is there anything you can’t do?” she asked him, trying to use humour to defuse her situation. 

“Apparently I’m not very good at following my programming,” he quipped, completely straight-faced. 

She laughed, and his expression softened into a slight smile. 

“For which I’m very grateful.” 

She crossed the room to where she’d put her sketch book and pencils, and put them into her messenger bag. A quick trip to the bathroom later, and she was tugging on her new coat in preparation to go back out into the chill. 

They knocked on Hank’s door, finding him on the phone with his superior. He rolled his eyes at them, indicating his opinion of the topic of the call. Marie pointed at Sumo, then jerked her thumb towards the outside behind her, raising her eyebrows in a silent question. Hank nodded, pointing to where he’d hung up Sumo’s lead. 

Connor reached for it, walking over to clip it to the dog’s collar, taking a moment to pet him reassuringly first. Sumo understood what the lead meant, and got to his feet. He followed them out of the room, and Hank gave them a thumbs up. 

It took them barely five minutes to reach the park, which was a pleasant rectangle of grass lined with trees, with a pond at one end. The pond was iced around the outside, with a group of disgruntled ducks jostling for space in the melted part in the middle. 

“Do you think he’d fetch a stick if I threw it?” Connor mused, nudging one with the toe of his boot. 

“I don’t know. He’s not the most energetic creature.” 

“I know. I’m not even sure if the leash is necessary.” 

Marie smiled, moving over to one of the benches that sat around the grass, wiping it dry with one end of her scarf. She took a seat and pulled out her sketch book, settling in to watch Connor and Sumo.

With an expression of concentration, Connor unclipped the lead and stuck it in the pocket of his leather jacket. Then he picked up the stick, reached his arm back and threw. While he was not as boisterous as the Labrador they’d met months before, Sumo ran after it readily enough, his gait a casual lumber. He did not seem to want to bring it back, however, and Connor had to go after it, which made Marie laugh. 

She made several rough sketches of their antics, challenging herself to capture subjects that refused to keep still. It was clear to her that she was watching a bond form between android and canine, and it was possibly the most wholesome thing she’d ever seen. It brought a smile to her lips, and that warm, glowing feeling beneath her ribs that was becoming increasingly familiar. 

She stopped when she got too cold, leaving her perch to run a few widths of the grass. They had the place to themselves, so she only had to worry about keeping out of Connor and Sumo’s way. Sumo half-heartedly joined her for a little while, easily matching her pace. She was not remotely sporty, and only ran when she was late for things. 

When she’d warmed up, she returned to her bench, and Connor joined her, giving Sumo a break. The dog sat contentedly at their feet, his nose on one of Connor’s boots. Marie shifted sideways, pencil in hand. 

“Keep still,” she said, flipping to a new page. 

Connor sent her a look of amusement, but did as she requested. He was the most obliging life model she’d ever drawn, able to keep unnaturally still. Even his simulated breathing stopped. The silence was peaceful as she worked, and neither of them seemed to find it awkward. Marie was glad about that. She liked people she could be comfortably silent with, although they were few and far between. 

After about fifteen minutes or so she was done, and she turned the sketch book towards Connor, showing him the greyscale image of himself and Sumo. 

“What do you think?”

“I love it,” he said, and she noted the new phrase with pleased surprise. “You’re very good.”

“I’m the good side of average,” she said with a shrug, “but thank you.” 

He glanced at her, frowning. “You’re terrible at taking compliments.”

She froze for a moment, then shrugged again. He was probably right. She decided to change the subject. 

“You can have it,” she told him. “The sketch, I mean. If you want it.” 

He smiled, and it was somehow both delighted and contemplative. 

“What is it?” she asked gently, hoping she hadn’t crossed some strange boundary she’d been unaware of. 

“I’m just…not used to owning things,” Connor explained, and she almost felt her heart crack at the realisation. “I’ve never had anything that belonged to me.” 

Marie wasn’t sure what to say. Without thinking too hard, she reached for his hand, giving it a supportive squeeze. 

“If Markus gets his way, you’ll be able to own whatever you want,” she spoke up. “You could even get a house.” 

“I don’t really know what I would do with…rooms,” he said, and she wanted to laugh at his tone. “So many of them are to service human needs.” 

“Well, you’d have to keep your kitchen so that your human friends can come over,” she said with a smile, withdrawing her hand. “But you could convert any bedrooms into…I don’t know…hobby rooms, maybe.”

“Hobby rooms,” he repeated, sounding intrigued by the idea. “I never considered getting a hobby. I don’t even know what I like to do.”

“You can figure it out. Don’t you have any ideas at all?”

He pondered the question. “I think…” he said slowly, as if testing the notion, “I would like to keep fish. I find them very colourful and pleasing to look at. And I would like to listen to more music. And read books.” 

“That all sounds pretty doable. Although you’d need some kind of income so you can take care of the fish.”

He nodded. “Yes. Markus would have to ensure that androids are paid a fair wage.” 

Marie packed up her pencils, closing her sketch book to protect Connor’s drawing until they got back to the room. 

“Are you ready to go?” she asked. “I’m getting cold again.” 

“Yes. We should get Sumo back to Hank.” 

Although it didn’t seem to be needed, they reattached Sumo’s lead and headed back to the motel. It was only late afternoon, but the sky was already darkening. That was the one thing Marie disliked about winter. 

Hank was watching a cheesy sit-com when they knocked on his door, but he muted it to ask them about their day. Since they didn’t have a whole lot to report, it didn’t take long. Marie excused herself so that Connor and Hank could have a chance to talk. She knew he wanted Hank’s opinion about what his handler had told him. 

She retreated to her own room, shedding her outer layers and wrapping herself up in the throw rug from her apartment. She found the pictures from the collage that had used to be in her living room, and remade it on the wooden panelling next to one of the bedside tables. It was unclear how long they would be staying at the motel, and she wanted to make the room a little more unique. Using some of the reusable adhesive gum, she put up the sketch of Connor and Sumo next to the sofa. She was quite pleased with the likeness, and she wondered if he’d let her draw him again. 

She lay back on her bed, feeling the change in her muscles, how relaxed they were. Her pain levels were the lowest they’d been in a long time. 

_The man’s a bloody miracle worker._

It was a bad idea to dwell on how good he’d been with his hands, and she fished her phone out of her pocket, deciding to distract herself with social media. By the time Connor returned, she’d checked in with several friends and family members, all of whom wanted details about what had happened in Detroit. She gave a very condensed version of events.

“Hank’s gone to the bar to meet Bobby for dinner,” Connor announced, shutting the door behind him. 

Marie glanced at her watch. “Guess I should think about food too.” 

She shifted off the bed and went to investigate her options. While the microwave was heating up her selection, she tugged a skirt and tights from the closet and went to the bathroom to change. The skirt was an old burgundy corduroy piece that she loved because it was warm and had pockets. It hit just above her knee, so she paired it with the thickest opaque tights she had, and put her socks back on over the top. It was still slippery outside, so she was sticking with her boots. The clingy black sweater she was already wearing would do fine. 

She hadn’t expected much of a reaction from Connor, but he smiled at her when she entered the room. 

“You look nice.”

She smiled back, telling herself he was just following his social relations program. “Thanks. So do you. I meant to say it earlier, but I was…distracted.” _By you_ , she thought with irony. 

“Thank you.” 

Connor switched on the TV and channel hopped while she ate, eventually settling on an old movie that Marie remembered being shown when she was a child. She wondered if he would grasp the concept of the fantasy genre, or whether all the elves, dwarves and hobbits would confuse him. By the time she was clearing up her empty carton, he already had comments. 

“I don’t understand why they can’t just destroy this ring,” he said, frowning. “They have many different weapons between them.”

“It’s a magical ring,” she explained, “so it doesn’t react like a normal one. I think we’re going to have to watch this from the beginning sometime.” 

He nodded. “It seems to be an interesting concept.” 

Marie smiled at the enormity of the _Lord of the Rings_ trilogy being summarised as ‘an interesting concept’, although she guessed he wasn’t wrong. She headed over to the bathroom to put some make-up on, brushing out some snags in her hair. It hadn’t appreciated being stuck under a beanie for most of the day. 

When she emerged, Connor cycled through several expressions, each shaping his features for a beat before moving on. She read some sort of initial reaction, then confusion, then uncertainty. 

“What’s the matter?”

“I…was debating the best course of action,” he said. “You’ve always encouraged me to be honest with you.”

She nodded in confirmation. 

“But my social relations program advises that women don’t always want to hear the truth, even if they ask for it.”

Setting aside her immediate need to know what about her appearance had prompted the debate in the first place, Marie focused on his dilemma. “Sounds like your social relations program was written by an old guy. Most women are rational creatures. If we say we want honesty, then that’s what we want. It’s okay if you have an unpopular opinion…as long as you’re not a dick about expressing it.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “If you don’t like something about my appearance, that’s okay, but you have to respect that _I_ do.” 

“I do respect that,” he said at once. “That was the second part of my confusion. I have an opinion, but I know it shouldn’t matter. I don’t…have the right to have preferences about your choices, but…”

“But you can’t help the way you react,” she finished for him. “I know. Navigating all this…humany stuff is complicated.” She briefly asked herself whether she wanted to know, and decided she couldn’t leave it unasked. “What, uh…what set this all off?”

“Your make-up,” he said plainly. “It looks very nice, but…” He hesitated over expressing his opinion.

“It’s okay,” she said, sending him a soothing smile even as she inwardly braced herself. “Honesty, remember?”

His brow was furrowed, as if he was still trying to figure out his own responses. “I…I know it’s not about pleasing anyone but yourself, but…I find that…I prefer it when you don’t cover up your freckles.” 

Whatever she’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. She was pleasantly surprised. Firstly about his awareness that what she chose to do with her body was her business, but also that he liked her freckles. Well, he hadn’t said it in so many words, but it was implied. It was kind of sweet. 

The inner part of her that insisted on acting like a teenager was thrilled that he liked something about her appearance, and she pointedly ignored it.

“Sometimes make-up can be like a mask,” she said, choosing her words carefully as she attempted to explain. “When I was younger I hated my skin. I wore foundation and concealer as soon as my parents let me, and it boosted my confidence. It was like armour. Now that I’m older, I’m more accepting of myself, but sometimes I need to feel that confidence boost again. It’s like…presenting a face to the world that’s a bit more put-together than the one underneath it. Does that make sense?”

“Logically, yes,” he said. “But I don’t…I guess I’m having trouble understanding why you don’t feel confident already. Am I right in assuming that it’s one of those things that humans are irrational about?”

There was a compliment buried under all his logic, and it made her smile. “Yes, it’s very irrational.”

His face took on a pensive look, and he took two steps towards her, halting less than an arm’s length away. She could see every minute detail in his expression, all the tiny moles, freckles and other imperfections in his synthetic skin that made him look so incredibly human. His eyes were warm, but studying her a little more intently than she was used to. 

“May I share my opinion?” he asked.

“Yes, of course. Always.”

“You should feel confident. You’re…you’re really pretty.” 

Marie felt as if her heart had done a barrel roll in her chest, but then she remembered the conversation from that morning: Hank telling her that Connor had called one of Kamski’s androids pretty. She also remembered exactly what he’d said in response to that. 

_“It was an observation.”_

There was absolutely nothing to read into his comments. He was just…reacting. Or being nice. She needed to not make it awkward.

“Thank you,” she said, managing a smile. 

She moved away to put her boots on, then grabbed her bag and her new coat. 

“Shall we get going?”

Connor hadn’t moved, and he wore a puzzled frown, but it cleared at her question. “Sure.” 

He pulled on his new jacket, which was probably a little light for the weather for a human, but would do for the short walk to the bar. For the price, it was surprisingly well-tailored, and sat nicely across his shoulders. 

_Jesus, you really need to stop objectifying him._

She made sure she tucked the room key into her skirt pocket, and in doing so, halted, a sudden thought making itself known. She turned to Connor. 

“You’ve been coming and going all day,” she said.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“I’ve had the key the whole time.”

One corner of his lips twitched upward. “As long as nobody’s looking, I don’t need a key.”

“Right. Magic android powers.”

Fortunately, he realised it was a joke. The synthetic skin melted back from his hand and he waved at her. 

Marie let out a surprised burst of laughter. She didn’t think she’d seen him without his skin, apart from the tiny patch when he’d removed his LED. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Logically, she knew there was that white android shell underneath his handsome features, but did she want to see it? And if not, was that really fair? It was his true face, wasn’t it? Or maybe he preferred the one that made him look human. 

“Hey, uh…can I ask you a personal question?” she ventured.

“Of course.” 

“Do you…” She paused, adding a disclaimer. “I’m sorry if this is…inappropriate, or android taboo or something, but…what do you look like? I mean…when you think about your own appearance, which one is you? This one or the one without synthetic skin?”

“This one,” he answered without hesitation. “There’s a face underneath, but it’s no more my face than your skull is yours.” 

She nodded, understanding. 

“Maybe there are androids that feel differently,” he went on, “but that’s my opinion.” 

“I get it. Thanks for answering.”

He nodded to her, and she slung her bag over her shoulder. 

“Oh, before I forget, whatever you order in the bar, I’m going to have to drink, so…let’s keep it low alcohol, okay?”

He smiled a little, but agreed. “What would you suggest?”

“I can probably manage two beers,” Marie decided. “I’m not exactly a lightweight, but I don’t like getting tipsy in public. Best to play it safe.”

“I understand, but I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

“I know,” she said with a smile. “Even still.”

They left the room, and Marie shivered at the blast of cold air. At least the bar was just over the road. They walked quickly, pushing open the door to find the place relatively full, and thankfully warm. It was cosy inside, wood panelled much like the motel. It did not exactly look family friendly, but neither was it sleazy. There was food being served at some of the tables. They found Hank sitting at one, finishing off a steak. He was talking to a woman who was probably a bartender, judging by the dishcloth that was draped over one shoulder. She was about Marie’s age, or a few years older, and extremely pretty. She had confidence to go with it, which was evident in her posture and the deep V of her top’s neckline. 

“There they are,” Hank said. “I was just talking about you two.” 

“Good things,” the girl put in reassuringly. She smiled at them both, but her gaze lingered on Connor. “You missed some important details in your description, Hank,” she said meaningfully.

“What details?” Hank said, oblivious. 

The girl made an impatient sound, and offered Connor her hand. “I’m Suzy. I run the bar.” 

Connor shook her hand, but let go a lot sooner than Suzy seemed to have wanted. “I thought this was Bobby’s bar,” he said.

“It is. I’m his daughter.” She smiled again, flashing perfect white teeth. “So you must be Connor.” 

“Yes, and this is my girlfriend, Marie.” 

Suzy shook Marie’s hand too. “You’re one lucky bitch,” she said, although there was no malice in the statement. She just seemed to be painfully blunt. 

“Uh…thank you?” Marie said uncertainly. 

Connor rested his hand on her lower back, which was surprisingly soothing. 

“I’ll get your drinks. What are we having?” Suzy said brightly. 

“Just a couple of beers, please,” Connor told her politely. 

“Coming right up.” 

She stalked off behind the bar, and Marie took off her coat, draping it over her chair before taking a seat. Connor observed her and did the same. 

“Bobby got called to reception, but he’ll be back,” Hank explained, pushing his empty plate away. 

Before they could comment, Suzy returned with two bottles, setting them down on the table with a smile. 

“Thanks,” Marie said, reaching for one and unscrewing the cap. She took a swig, finding it a pretty good brand. 

Connor opened his too, raising it to his mouth. She could tell that he didn’t actually drink any, but he licked his lips where the beer had touched them, a mildly curious expression on his face. He caught her staring and shrugged, smiling. Marie wasn’t the only one who’d been watching. Suzy had too, and seemed quite unapologetic about it. Hank looked between them, his face showing his lack of enthusiasm for whatever was happening. 

Connor rested his arm along the back of Marie’s chair, turning towards her with a warm smile. It looked like an entirely natural move, but it had the desired effect. Suzy excused herself and retreated to the bar. Connor didn’t move, but his words did not match his easy-going posture.

“Why does she keep staring at me?” 

Hank chuckled, leaning back in his chair, one hand loosely curled around his own beer bottle. “I’m guessing she likes what she sees. But I’m not the best insight into the heterosexual female mind. Got any wisdom, Marie?”

Marie shot him a quick look, unsure if she was being baited. His expression was all innocence, but she didn’t know him well enough to know if it was genuine or not. 

“Uh…I agree with your assessment,” she rattled out. 

“But she thinks we’re together,” Connor said with a frown. “It’s inappropriate of her to act like that.”

“I don’t think she intends to do anything about it,” Marie said truthfully, “I think she’s just one of those super confident people that says exactly what she thinks.” 

Before Connor could reply, Bobby materialised through the crowd, grinning. “Guess what, Hank: we got one of yours here!”

All three of them looked at him in confusion. Behind him, another man was making his way through, one that Marie didn’t know, but Connor and Hank clearly did. He saw them the same moment they saw him, and his eyes fell on Connor and widened. Marie felt her breath catch in her throat in sudden alarm. 

It was clear he knew exactly who – and more importantly, what – Connor was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun daah! Cliffhanger! Place your bets as to the identity of the mystery man below.
> 
> Also, regarding Connor's opinion on his appearance, I feel like androids would be divided on how they feel about their synthetic skin. North, for example, probably doesn't care if she has it activated or not. But if you see the scene where Kara and Alice have to undress and deactivate theirs, they seem quite distressed and modest about it. Connor strikes me as one of the androids who most wants to be human, hence why he feels the way he does about his skin. I hope that makes sense! (Connors who are comfortable without their skin are totally valid too, fyi.)


	16. The Challenge of Pretence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marie's feeling the strain of her situation. It's almost like agreeing to a fake relationship scenario with your unrequieted(?) crush is a bad idea.

**Chapter Sixteen – The Challenge of Pretence.**

For a split second there was perfect silence, then Hank was on his feet, his chair scraping on the wooden floor. 

“Chris,” he said, offering a hand, “good to see you. You remember my nephew, Connor?” 

The man, Chris, looked at him for a moment, his confusion dampening behind a mask of wary nonchalance. “Uh…yes. Yes, of course. Uh…nice to see you again.” 

“You too,” Connor said casually, but Marie could see how tense he’d become.

“Breathe,” she reminded him softly. 

He turned his head and met her gaze, and the simulated rise and fall of his chest started up again. 

“This is Connor’s girlfriend, Marie,” Hank introduced, and Chris’s eyebrows almost vanished into his hair. 

“Hi,” he said, frowning slightly as he peered at her. He was probably wondering whether she was an android too. 

“Hi,” she replied. 

“You just get here?” Hank asked. 

“Uh…yes. It took us a long time to get on the road,” Chris explained. “The traffic was insane.”

“Yeah, we barely made it through ourselves,” Hank said with a dry chuckle. 

“We wanted somewhere nearby, but everywhere was already full. Then I remembered you recommending this place. Your friend said you were here, so I thought I’d…come and say hi.” His gaze fell on Connor again. “But I, uh, need to get back to Grace and Jacob.”

“I haven’t seen Grace since Jacob was born,” Hank spoke up. “I’ll come say hello. I won’t keep you long.”

Everyone except Bobby recognised the blatant need for Hank to speak to Chris alone. Chris nodded, turning to go. 

“Night, all.”

He and Hank departed, leaving Marie and Connor with Bobby, who took a seat at their table. 

“So, what do you two do?” he asked. 

“Hank didn’t tell you?” Connor replied, subtly prying for more information. 

“We had a lot to catch up on,” Bobby said jovially. “We didn’t get round to talking about you. Sorry.” 

“I’m a police officer too,” Connor told him. 

“Oh, right. Guess it runs in the family, then!”

“Something like that.” 

“What about you?” he asked Marie, smiling. 

She decided to stick to the truth. “I, uh…worked for CyberLife,” she said, shrugging.

“Oh…” Bobby said, a touch awkwardly.

She smiled at him. “Yup. New career path on the horizon for me.” 

He looked relieved that it wasn’t a sensitive subject. “Change can be as good as a rest, they say.”

“They do. It’ll be interesting to see if it’s true.” 

“Nice accent you got there. British, right?” 

She nodded. 

Bobby looked at Connor, a warm, conspiratorial look on his face. “I used to like a British accent too, back in the day. There’s something about it, isn’t there?”

Marie glanced at Connor too, curious as to what he would say. She remembered his perfect imitation of her accent the first time they’d met. It seemed a lifetime ago. 

“There is,” he agreed, nodding at Bobby. “I like it a lot.” 

She smiled at him, even as she wondered how much truth there was to his words. Taking a sip of her beer, she began to appreciate just how difficult their pretence was going to get if she had to keep listening to false declarations of affection from the very person she most wanted to hear genuine ones from. 

She wasn’t sitting all that far back in her seat, yet she was hyper-aware of his arm behind her. Their chairs were close, it would be so easy to lean against him. So easy and so ill-advised. She wasn’t yet desperate enough to crave tiny scraps of fake comfort, was she? 

“How long have you two been together?” Bobby asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Marie met Connor’s gaze, belatedly realising that they should have discussed their false history beforehand so that their story worked. 

“Almost a year,” Connor answered smoothly. 

“Ah, nice.”

“I can honestly say that…my life has been better for having her in it.” 

He stared directly into her eyes as he said it, and Marie felt her brain almost short-circuit as she tried to figure out if he was sending her a genuine message, or just really good at playing a part thanks to his programming. It felt so sincere, even the possibility of it being an act _hurt_. 

She managed a smile, but looked down at her lap to hide how brittle it felt. Hopefully she would come across as shy. She only hoped Bobby wasn’t expecting her to comment on her feelings for Connor. That would hit a little too close to home. 

Hank returned, dropping into his seat and taking a swig of his beer. His posture was relaxed, and Marie felt some of her own tension drain. Chris knew what was going on. He wouldn’t give them away. 

With the lieutenant back at the table, conversation struck up between him and Bobby, and Marie was able to simply listen, occasionally chiming in when she felt like it. Connor appeared to be doing the same. When the bar got quieter, Suzy came to join them, which seemed to make Connor a little wary. Marie couldn’t help but be amused by that, and she leaned into him enough to gently bump him with her shoulder in a show of solidarity. 

_I won’t let her get you_ , she tried to tell him silently. 

He seemed to grasp the sentiment, as he quirked a tiny smile. 

Inevitably, the discussion eventually turned to the android rebellion, which was probably a good thing. It would be useful to hear where Bobby stood on the matter, just in case the truth came out at some point. 

“Must’ve been a hell of a time for you,” he said to Hank. “I know how much you hate androids.”

Marie felt herself tense, and reached for her beer to cover it. She blinked, realising that Connor had switched their bottles at some point and she hadn’t even noticed. 

_Oh, you’re good._

He eyed her expression and winked, although his focus on the topic never wavered. 

“I used to,” Hank replied. “But I learned a lot from a deviant I met. They’re people. They deserve to be free.”

Bobby looked surprised, Suzy pleased. 

“We had an android on reception,” she said. “He was called Jerry. A real sweetheart with the guests. We both saw Markus’s broadcast on TV, and I saw that his LED had gone yellow. He didn’t go deviant, though. Then the news showed footage of the demonstration march through Detroit, and I saw Markus recruiting androids just by…like…summoning them or something. I told Jerry to go and find him. I knew Markus would set him free if he didn’t deviate on his own. I hope he found him.” 

“I saw a few Jerry models after the androids won their freedom,” Marie spoke up. “There’s no way to tell if one of them was yours, of course, but…they were all doing fine.” 

“I hope so,” Suzy said with touching sincerity. “Dad wasn’t too pleased when he found out what I’d done!” 

“No, but…” Bobby sighed heavily. “I guess you made the right decision.” 

“I did, Dad. We both know it. Hank is right: they’re people.” 

Marie had had her hand balled into an anxious fist, out of sight resting on her leg, and she relaxed it, palm flat against her thigh. To her surprise, Connor covered her hand with his own, his fingers curling under her palm until she reflexively did the same. Since he still had his right arm on the back of her chair, it was left hand in left hand, but they still fit naturally together, and his palm warmed the back of her hand nicely. He gave it a gentle squeeze, reassuring her without words. She squeezed back. 

She turned her head to look at him, intending to gauge if he was comfortable with the topic. Shit, but he was close now. She could see the different shades of brown in his eyes, warm and intriguing. His gaze held hers, flicked briefly to her mouth, then back up, and Marie inhaled sharply. He was _too_ good at this role. It was seriously screwing with her head. 

She turned away. “I, uh…” she mumbled, then spoke clearer, addressing the whole table. “I think I’m going to call it a night, if you’ll excuse me. It’s been a crazy couple of days.” 

A chorus of “Sure”s and “Of course”s came back to her, and she got to her feet, pulling her coat on. 

“Should I come with you?” Connor asked, wearing a slight frown as he peered up at her. 

She smiled at him, although he would probably be able to tell that it wasn’t completely genuine. “No, stay if you want to. I’ll be fine.” 

Everyone was looking at her, so she bent and kissed his cheek, trying to make it look like something she did all the time. It was a casual kiss, but long enough for her to register how real his skin felt under her lips. That was something she was probably better off not knowing. Life truly was testing her these days. 

“Night, everyone,” she said, shouldering her bag. 

The cold hit her like a splash of frigid water when she stepped outside, and she huddled deeper into her coat. Winter was going to be brutal if it was like this in early November. 

She wished she had someone she could confide in, share her thoughts with. Tanya was a good friend, but not one that Marie had ever felt like sharing really personal things with. Her friends back in England didn’t really know her all that well anymore, a truth that she’d been putting off accepting. There was always her mother, but she would be asleep by now. She was alone with her problems. 

She sighed, seeing it come out as a cloud of visible breath, curling away into the night sky. What had her life become? How quickly she’d gone from happily single with a nice apartment and a steady job to potentially homeless, unemployed and pining. She’d agreed to play the part of Connor’s girlfriend because it would be helpful in establishing his cover as a human. It would help keep him inconspicuous, and therefore safe. She hadn’t had time to consider the impact it would have on _her_. 

Despite the fact that she hadn’t wanted to leave Detroit alone, she was now forced to consider the option of striking out on her own. Removing herself from a situation that was causing her distress was the sensible thing to do. But she was Connor’s friend, and now that he was free to experience emotion, she knew that he was hers in return. He was fond of her, as he was of Hank. Cut off from his own people, he was even more alone than she was, in some ways. 

Fishing her key card out of her pocket, Marie let herself into the room and flicked the lights on. She sat down on the edge of the bed and didn’t move, taking a moment to think. She wasn’t going anywhere, she knew herself well enough to be certain of that. And falling for an android was a bad idea. It would be awful if he developed feelings for her and then she went and did something painfully human, like die one day. Loss was a natural part of life, it was true, but knowing how many years he would survive without her…it was too cruel. Not to mention the fact that she’d get old… 

_You just acknowledged that you’re friends,_ the logical part of her remarked, _how is that any better? He’s going to lose you and Hank one day, that’s just facts. The only way to avoid loss is to never get close to anyone. Would you wish that lonely life on him?_

_No_ , she answered without hesitation. 

Maybe part of what was bothering her was the thought of being forgotten. She would be a tiny blip on the path of his life. He would meet new people after she was gone, maybe care for them the same way. 

_Bloody hell, can’t you think about something cheerier?_

It seemed she couldn’t, so she got ready for bed, burrowing under the covers until she was curled up like a hibernating animal. She didn’t want to face him again that evening, and she’d been concerned that he’d see through her if she feigned sleep. But she needn’t have worried. She slipped into a restless slumber long before he crept through the door, and when she woke in the morning, it was to see him sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed. 

Marie reached for her phone, checking the time and deciding it was too early to get up. Connor was apparently running a diagnostic or something, as he didn’t stir when she rifled through her bag for her headphones. Plugging them into her phone, she searched for her ‘try to get motivated for the day’ playlist. Selecting it, she closed her eyes, letting the music inspire whatever images it pleased behind her eyelids. 

A few songs later, she opened them, immediately startled by the figure at the foot of her bed. 

“Jesus, Connor! Why are you just standing there?”

“I’ve only been in this spot for three seconds,” he said somewhat defensively. 

She removed her earbuds. “You scared me!” 

“I didn’t mean to.”

“Well, good!” she said, sitting up and wrapping her arms around her bent knees. “That would’ve been cruel.”

His lips curled into one of his small, subtle smiles. “What were you doing?”

“Just listening to some songs.” She remembered him telling her that he wanted to hear more music, and knew what she had to ask next. “Do you want to listen with me?”

His expression brightened with endearing anticipation. “If that’s okay.”

“Of course it is. Just let me get dressed and get some coffee.”

“I’ll make the coffee,” he offered, “which I’m choosing to do of my own free will, before you protest.”

Marie fixed him with an unamused look. “Ha ha. Thank you for the nice gesture.” 

She scrambled out of bed, crossing the room to the closet and gathering up what she wanted to wear that day. Retreating to the bathroom, she washed and dressed, avoiding her own gaze in the mirror. All the introspection from the night before had left her feeling tired, and she had no desire to rehash it. It would surface again soon, she was sure. Until it did, she was just going to move forward on instinct. Connor accidentally startling her had at least pushed them into some easy banter, and she wasn’t feeling any of the awkwardness of the previous night. That was handy. She shoved her deep thoughts to the back of her mind so that he wouldn’t question her about her mood. 

When she re-emerged, Connor had changed into a different shirt – the black one this time – and was setting a steaming cup on the table. 

“Thanks,” Marie said, sending him an appreciative smile. She halted, thinking about the best course of action. She wanted him to experience music the way she did, but that meant…

_Oh, fuck it._

Picking up the coffee, she put it down on her bedside table, straightening the covers before sitting down. She tugged her spare set of headphones and a splitter from her bag, speaking to him in a business-like way as she did so.

“Come and lie down.”

He simply stared at her for a long few seconds, and she imagined that if he’d still had it, his LED would be flickering yellow. Eventually he moved, however, joining her on the bed, albeit a little stiffly. 

“Here’s your headphones,” Marie said, handing them over. “Lie back, close your eyes, and just listen. This is an experience.”

He nodded, confusion giving way to a more satisfied look. “Good. There are a lot of things I want to try, just to experience them.”

“This song was recorded live years ago, so it’s almost like being there. You get to hear the energy of the band and the crowd.”

He looked intrigued, raising the headphones to his ears. “Why have you chosen this song to listen to?” he asked her.

“It’s one of my favourites. It makes me feel like I could get up and do anything. Good music that you love makes you _feel_. It’s…well, as I said, it’s an experience.” 

She eased herself down until they were lying side by side, connected by the thin cable that linked their headphones to her phone. Ignoring how surreal it was, she closed her eyes.

“Ready?”

“Yes.”

She loaded up the song and pressed play, a smile automatically forming on her face as the opening notes of the intro started up. As the energy of the song built, she felt it rising in herself, carried along by the infectious rhythm and melody. No doubt Connor could tell her exactly what chemical processes were happening in her brain. She only hoped he was experiencing something similar. 

When the last notes played out, she slipped her earbuds out, turning to look at Connor. He was lying with his hands neatly clasped on his stomach, long legs crossed at the ankle. He opened his eyes, removing his own headphones. 

“Well?” she asked. 

He took a moment to consider, which she didn’t mind. It was sweet that he was taking it so seriously. 

“I liked it,” he said eventually. “After Hank’s music, I didn’t expect it to be so…melodic.”

Marie grinned. 

“I liked the energy, like you said,” he added. “And the way the different instruments came together to create something unified. Her voice is very pretty.”

She nodded in agreement. “It is.” 

He met her gaze, turning his head on the spare pillow. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”

“You’re very welcome. I like sharing things I love with other people. It makes me happy when they enjoy them.” 

He studied her in silence for a moment. “You’re a very…kind person, Marie. I know I haven’t seen as much of the world as you have, but from what I _have_ seen…it’s difficult not to become cynical. I hope you never lose your kindness.” 

She wasn’t sure what to say to that, moved by his words. “Thank you, Connor. You’re…you’re pretty great too. You show when you care about people.”

He moved onto his side, propping his head up on his hand, and she was able to see his puzzled expression in all its glory. “Why wouldn’t I?”

She mirrored his pose, feeling only a mild protest from the shoulder she was leaning on. “I’ve known some guys who think they have to act indifferent, or even downright mean, to be seen as cool. It doesn’t make them cool, it just makes them dickheads.” 

“Well, I have no interest in being _cool_ ,” he said, sounding distinctly unimpressed by the term. 

She smiled. “I know. It’s refreshing. Don’t ever change, okay?”

“Not even to improve myself?” he replied, although she thought he was being flippant. 

“I meant don’t stop being genuine. Don’t stop being true to yourself.”

His dark eyes grew thoughtful. “You’ve always said that to me.”

“Well…I guess I feel very strongly about it.”

She expected him to smile, but he didn’t, face still pensive. His eyes were locked onto hers, and she began to open her mouth to ask him what was wrong. But then he leaned closer, slowly enough that it took her shocked brain a few seconds to realise what he was doing, and all words died in her throat. 

She didn’t move. _Should_ she move? And in which direction? 

Then, when he was near enough that she should have felt his breath on her face, a knock at the door startled them both. 

Connor muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a swear word, and got up to answer it. Marie rolled over and swung her legs off the bed, her heart pounding in her chest. He’d almost kissed her. They’d almost kissed. And instead of feeling joy, she was gripped with blind panic. How had she let that happen? Had she forgotten what he’d said barely ten minutes ago?

_“There are a lot of things I want to try, just to experience them.”_

While she understood his desire for experiencing what life had to offer, she knew she was far too fragile to assist him in that particular area. He would be better off appealing to Suzy, although the thought of him actually doing that felt like acid in her gut. 

“You two kids want breakfast?” came Hank’s voice. “I got coffee and bagels.” 

“Sure,” Connor replied. “We’ll be right there.” 

“You go ahead,” Marie said, forcing a smile onto her face and looking at him over her shoulder. “I, uh…I just remembered I said I’d call my parents.” 

Connor frowned at her, seeing through her at once. “Marie…”

“I’ll be over in a few minutes, okay?”

He backed down with a nod, lips pressed together in a thin line. Then he disappeared out the door after Hank. 

Marie exhaled noisily, gripping the edge of the mattress with both hands. 

_I don’t know if I can keep doing this._

She didn’t want to leave, but she was beginning to think she couldn’t stay. Maybe it was time to return home, back to England. She didn’t much like the thought of being ruled by self-preservation, but sometimes it was necessary. As much as she didn’t want to lose Connor’s friendship, she didn’t think she could be a good friend to him if she wanted more. It wasn’t fair to him. Or her. 

She picked up her phone and selected her parents’ number in her contacts. It wasn’t a good idea to decide on the spot, but she wanted to hear their voices. Maybe it would help her decide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that happened! Let's hear it for Hank's impeccable timing, because there's no way that kiss would have ended well. Right?
> 
> Also, Chris is here! Chris deserves more love, in my opinion. We'll be seeing a bit more of him and his family next chapter.


	17. The Road Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marie makes a new friend and Connor makes a decision.

**Chapter Seventeen – The Road Trip.**

The conversation with her parents helped with Marie’s overall mood, but not with her decision making. She opted not to share any of her thoughts or problems, despite wanting to. It was too soon, and she needed to think them through on her own. She remembered going to her mum with boy trouble when she was a teenager, and the instinct had remained ingrained in her. Her dad had never been quite as helpful, although he meant well, and she was close with both of them. 

By the time she ventured to Hank’s room, she was no less conflicted than before, but was at least resolved to ignore what had almost happened earlier. If Connor tried to use her for his experimentation again, (she wrinkled her nose, hating how clinical that sounded), she would simply explain to him that it would be weird for their friendship. 

Hank clearly had no idea what he’d interrupted, and she was grateful for that. He gestured to the takeout cup and paper bag on the coffee table, and she accepted a bagel. Since his room was smaller than theirs, there was no kitchen area to speak of, or dining table. He and Connor were seated on the sofa, Sumo at their feet, so Marie perched cross-legged on his bed. 

They talked about their plans for the day, of which she had none. Hank reported that Chris wanted to meet for lunch at the bar, and they traded ideas on how to hide the fact that Connor didn’t eat. It was decided that that would be some ‘guys only’ time, which Marie was happy to comply with. From what she’d heard from their stories, Chris was someone who could end up being a good friend to Connor, and she wanted him to have those. Especially if she ended up going back to England. 

In the end, her day was very quiet. She went back to her room after breakfast, and spent some time on her tablet updating her CV. Regardless of where she was living, she’d need a new job. She went through a few job searches, both in Michigan and the UK, not finding anything that sounded particularly interesting. She fully expected there to be some sort of change in the unemployment figures following the android revolution, but it was too early to tell what those changes would be. Could the country even afford to pay millions of ‘new’ workers? 

She glanced at the time, realising that the boys had been at lunch for hours. Hopefully they were putting the world to rights. She decided to take a walk before it got dark, in need of fresh air. When she stepped outside she almost bumped into a woman holding a baby, and she gasped at the near miss. 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” the woman assured her, offering a pretty smile. “No harm done. Do you, uh…do you know where the bar is?”

“It’s just across the street,” Marie told her, pointing, unable to help smiling as the baby stared at her with huge brown eyes. “Hi,” she said, crooking her finger in a tiny imitation of a wave. “Never seen a clumsy redhead before, huh?”

The mother grinned. “He stares at everything. It’s what he does. Isn’t it, buddy?” 

The baby looked to be around three months old, and was very cute, all round eyes and chubby cheeks. He sported a short crop of curly black hair, and was wearing a onesie that made him look like a dinosaur. 

“What’s his name?”

“Jacob.”

Realisation hit. “Ah, you must be Grace, then.”

The woman nodded, a similar look of understanding on her face. “Are you Chris’s co-worker’s girlfriend? He mentioned he’d seen you.”

“That’s me. Are the guys still at the bar?”

“That’s what I was going to go and find out,” Grace said, shifting Jacob’s weight. “Hey, do you want to get a drink with me? It’s not fair that the boys have all the fun. I mean, mine will just be juice until I stop breast-feeding, but it’s the thought that counts.”

Marie glanced at her, surprised, but nodded. “Sure, why not. I could do with some female company, truth be told.”

Grace nodded, smiling. “Me too. Let’s go.” 

They found the three guys seated at a round table in one corner of the bar. To Marie’s surprise, they all had sodas in front of them, even Hank. She guessed even he preferred to wait until after five o’clock. They were so deep in conversation, they didn’t even notice that Grace and herself had arrived, but judging by their expressions, it wasn’t a serious topic, and there was a lot of laughter. 

“Typical,” Grace remarked, but there was fondness in her voice as she looked at Chris. “Come on, let’s sit at the bar and see how long they take to notice us.”

Amused, Marie went along with her, hopping up on a barstool and taking Jacob while Grace did the same. She was pleased to note that he didn’t seem to mind sitting with her, so long as he could still see his mother, and she kept him on her lap to give Grace a break. 

“Isn’t he a bit young to sit at the bar?” she asked, smiling.

“He’s gotta learn sometime,” Grace declared with a laugh, catching the eye of the bartender, who wasn’t Suzy. 

Marie decided to join her in ordering fruit juice, and they sipped their drinks while they got to know each other, making sure that Jacob was entertained as they did so. He was remarkably well-behaved, never fussing so long as he had their attention. 

Marie found Grace to be pleasant company. She was witty and fun, but thankfully not as excitable as Tanya. Marie had been wondering whether Chris had told her the truth about Connor, and it became clear when Grace leaned forward to speak to her, voice lowered. 

“Chris never told me that Connor was so…human.”

“He always was, in his way, although he had a few…let’s say mechanical quirks back when he was first activated. Now that he’s deviant, he’s gotten more at ease. He’s blending in pretty well.” 

“How did you meet him?”

Marie told her an abridged version of the story, and Grace nodded, understanding lighting her dark eyes. 

“So this thing between you and him…”

“Fake,” Marie said, the single syllable sounding annoyingly depressing. “It started out as a ruse to get him out of Detroit, then it just…turned into this.”

“Weird scenario,” Grace declared, sipping her drink. 

“Yep,” Marie agreed, feeling a familiar ache at the back of her throat. She was _not_ going to cry about this! Not in public with a woman she’d only known an hour. 

“He’s kind of handsome, though,” Grace commented, her gaze on the boys’ table. 

“He is.” There was no point in denying it. 

Grace’s eyes met hers, perceptive and sympathetic. “So, um…this might be an unfair time to tell you, but I’m actually a therapist. On maternity, obviously, but still. So…if this is getting to you, you can talk to me. I won’t charge you if you pay for my drink.” 

Marie managed a smile at her words, somehow unsurprised. Grace gave off a warm, trustworthy air, and seemed to see details in small things. Despite the fact that she’d been wishing for someone to talk to, Marie wasn’t sure that she was at the therapy stage just yet, and she said as much. 

“You want to talk to a friend,” Grace accurately surmised, not sounding at all offended. “Well let me know when I qualify.”

“I will. Could even be later today if I start drinking,” Marie joked, although she suspected there was some truth behind it. 

Grace laughed, which made Jacob giggle too. The sound caught Chris’s attention, and the three guys all stood to approach them. 

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Chris said, kissing Grace on the temple.

“Having some girl time.” 

Chris seemed amused, and he offered Jacob his finger to hold. “She bringing you into bars already, buddy? Do we have to have the talk on underage drinking so soon?”

Jacob just gurgled. 

Hank folded his arms, but he looked amused too. “He’s a credit to you, Chris. Although lucky for him, he takes after his mom.”

“I knew I always liked you,” Grace quipped. 

“He’s good as gold,” Marie said to Chris. 

“Sometimes,” the police officer said dryly. 

She lifted Jacob up. “Come on. Time to go and see your dad.” 

Chris accepted him gratefully, bouncing him a little in his arms. 

Connor had remained remarkably silent, but he was watching everything keenly. His gaze, when it fell on Marie, was reflective, and she felt sure he was processing something. 

“You ever held a baby before?” Chris asked him. 

Connor’s face immediately took on an expression of panic, and Marie stifled a laugh. 

“Uh…no.” 

“Do you want to?” Chris pressed, a twinkle in his eyes.

“I don’t think that would be…safe,” Connor said.

Hank laughed. “You kidding? Kid would be safer with you than any of us.” 

“Don’t tease the poor man,” Grace spoke up, taking pity on him. She extended a hand towards him. “I’m Grace, by the way, since my husband didn’t bother introducing me to you.”

Connor shook her hand as Chris rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Pleased to meet you.”

“I guess we should think about dinner,” Chris said to Grace, eyeing the clock above the bar. 

“Us too,” Hank said. He looked to Marie. “Connor wants to have a movie night. You in?”

“Sure, as long as it’s not a horror movie,” she replied. 

They parted ways with Chris and Grace, returning to their rooms to prepare dinner in Marie’s case, order it in Hank’s. After the humans were done with food, Hank knocked on their door, bringing Sumo and a bag of popcorn. Connor looked pleased to see the Saint Bernard, even more so when Sumo clambered up onto the sofa and draped his front paws and head across Connor’s lap. He was effectively pinned in place, but didn’t seem to mind at all, his fingers drifting through the dog’s fur. 

Since the sofa was taken up, Hank grabbed a chair from the dining table, and Marie sat on her bed, the throw rug from her apartment wrapped around her, more for comfort than warmth. They channel hopped until Hank found a movie channel showing an action flick. It was entertaining, but so generic that Marie couldn’t figure out whether she’d already seen it or not. Connor seemed to enjoy it, though, and that was kind of the point. For Hank as well as herself, she suspected. 

After the credits rolled, the news came on, and they all listened to the headlines with interest. 

“A date has finally been agreed on for President Warren to meet with the android leader, Markus,” the newsreader said. “The president has invited Markus and his representatives to the White House to discuss the terms of freedom for androids. This will be the first time any of the deviants will have left Detroit since the city’s human population was evacuated on Friday, and the president has issued a statement guaranteeing their safety.”

Marie frowned, making a small sceptical noise in her throat. 

Hank turned to her. “You not buying it?”

“I don’t know. She wasn’t exactly pro-android before the ceasefire. I don’t know if Markus can trust her.” 

“Public opinion is supportive to his cause,” Connor pointed out. “President Warren knows that. She also knows that her own popularity is down. Showing support to Markus now is her best chance of boosting it. She won’t hurt him.” 

“She’s all buddy-buddy with CyberLife, though,” Hank spoke up. 

“True, but they’re not in a position to demand anything from her,” Connor said. 

“Speak of the devil,” Marie added, as the next story came on.

“CyberLife announced today that its senior management team and several prominent shareholders have stepped down, leaving the company temporarily without leadership,” the news reader reported. “The brief statement did not offer any details about the change, but it does seem to give credence to the rumours that the company is facing several criminal charges for actions taken during the android revolution.”

Hank pointed at himself and mouthed, “That was me.”

Marie smiled, turning her attention back to the screen. 

“It has always been clear that recent events would affect CyberLife dramatically, and this is just the beginning of the company’s new future. If, indeed, it even has one. More updates on this story when we get them.” 

They watched the rest of the news, but there was nothing else that was noteworthy. The mention of Markus and CyberLife had made Connor pensive, and his brow was furrowed as he smoothed Sumo’s fur. He chose not to share what was on his mind, seeming to opt to work through it on his own. It was over a week later that he finally brought it up. 

It had been a fairly uneventful week. Marie had spent it trying to relax, taking a few trips out alone, sketching a lot, spending more time with Grace, who had made the considerate decision not to mention Marie’s current predicament. There had been no more potential awkward moments with Connor, although there were one or two incidents out in public when she’d had to smile through more fake affection, which seemed to be tougher to do the more time passed. 

Connor and Hank had spent a lot of time together, sometimes with Chris, and Marie knew they had been discussing what to do about their careers going forward. Until they found out whether or not they could return to Detroit, they were all stuck in a kind of limbo. The fact that Markus was so close to negotiating with President Warren was a good sign, but it still gave no answers as to when the evacuation would end.

One ordinary morning, Marie and Connor met up with Hank for breakfast, and Connor made a decision. 

“I need to talk to Elijah Kamski,” he announced. There was an air of resignation in him that had replaced any pensiveness he’d had since seeing the news report, indicating that it had been on his mind a lot over the past week. 

“Why?” Hank said at once. “Why d’you want to go back to that creepy fuck? He wasn’t exactly helpful the first time.”

“I know, but this time I know the right questions to ask.” 

Hank looked deeply dubious, and Marie tended to agree with him. After hearing about the test that Kamski had put Connor through before, she wasn’t sure she liked the sound of him. 

“I was hoping you would come with me,” Connor said, cajoling, “as back-up.”

Hank sighed heavily, but his answer was never really in question. “Any chance of me talking you out of it?”

The corner of Connor’s mouth twitched upward. “No.”

“Then sure, I’ll go with you.”

“Me too,” Marie spoke up, drawing their attention. “I know I’m not a police officer, and I’ll probably be absolutely no use, but I want to come too. I don’t think I trust Kamski, and the more people you have in your corner, the better.” 

Hank and Connor exchanged a glance. 

“I know you’re probably not allowed to bring civilians along,” she added, “but…”

“It’s not an official visit,” Connor said, “so that won’t be a problem.” 

“So I can come?”

“Were you asking permission?” he asked with amusement.

She raised an eyebrow. “No.”

“So when do you wanna leave?” Hank asked. 

“I need to locate him first,” Connor said. “He would have had to evacuate with everyone else.” To Marie, he added, “Can I borrow your tablet?”

“Sure,” she said, tugging it out of her bag and handing it over. “Just don’t break it.”

He sent her a withering look, and she grinned. It wasn’t so long ago that he would have taken her words literally. 

His hand melted to white, and he pressed two fingers to the screen. Information shot across it, too fast for Marie to comprehend, and his eyelids flickered as he processed it. Such a unique quirk, that. She’d never seen it on any other android. But then again, no other android had his processing power. There were bound to be a few idiosyncrasies. 

“Got it,” he said after a few moments. “Kamski owns a penthouse apartment in Chicago.”

“How do you know he’s there?” Hank spoke up. “Somehow I don’t think he’s a two-home kind of guy.”

“He owns another two properties, but they’re both in Europe,” Connor said. “We should go right away if we want to travel there today.”

“Chicago’s almost four hours away,” Hank said, tone grouchy. “You sure you wanna be stuck in a car for eight hours? Is it worth it?”

“I can always drive if you’re tired,” Connor offered. 

“I can’t,” Marie put in, “but I’ll pack snacks. Road trip, Hank. It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah right. You didn’t even sound convinced yourself.” 

She smiled sheepishly. While she wasn’t opposed to the idea of a road trip, a road trip with Elijah Kamski on the other end of it made her feel wary, to say the least. 

Hank sighed heavily. “Okay. I’m gonna go see if Bobby can look in on Sumo while we’re gone.”

Marie rifled through her food supplies, shoving everything snack-worthy into a bag, along with a bottle of water. She paid a visit to the bathroom, then laced up a pair of walking boots that had somehow turned into her day-to-day casual shoes. Fortunately they didn’t look out of place with her jeans. She eyed Connor, sporting the dark red shirt and looking unfairly fine, and wondered if she should try wearing something a little more flattering than sweaters. Although he had the advantage of not feeling the cold. 

She glanced at herself in the room’s full-length mirror, feeling disappointed with her ordinary appearance. Then, with a pang of bitterness, she reminded herself that it didn’t matter. She gave an unimpressed twist of her lips and turned away. 

When Hank returned, they all trooped down to the car, Connor riding shotgun again, as seemed fitting. Marie scrambled into the back, setting the snack bag down in the footwell. 

It was a straightforward, if uninteresting, journey. They filled the time with chatter or bouts of comfortable silence. Marie even used up forty minutes or so with a nap, although her neck was stiff when she woke. When they reached Chicago, there was plenty to look at, as she’d never been there before. Connor tapped into the GPS to get directions to Kamski’s apartment. In the end it took them more effort to find somewhere to park than to actually find the place. 

Marie was glad to get out and stretch her legs, even though a low-level of apprehension had taken up residence in her stomach. The building itself was an impressive structure, tall but not quite a skyscraper. The lobby they walked into was pristine, with highly-polished black floor tiles and industrial-looking concrete walls. The blend was unusual, but worked surprisingly well. 

A quick inspection of the elevators told them that the only way to the penthouse was via a smaller, private lift. Behind a desk that seemed to be part reception, part security, a stern middle-aged woman sat guarding the door. From the way she was dressed, she was over-qualified to be there, and Marie suspected that, like so many others, she was filling a position that an android had previously held.

“Good afternoon,” Connor greeted her. “We’re here to see Elijah Kamski. Is he home?”

“Mr. Kamski isn’t expecting other visitors today,” the woman told them. “He’s not seeing anyone.”

Hank drew his badge out of his pocket with an air of someone who’d done so hundreds of times before. “He’ll see us.” 

The woman inspected it with a critical eye, and took in their casual attire. Fortunately, she seemed to decide that it meant they ranked highly, and she gestured them towards the private lift. 

“I’ll unlock the elevator for you.”

“Thanks,” Hank said, shooting her a quick, insincere smile and pocketing his badge. 

They crowded into the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor. When it slowed, the doors opened to reveal a short hallway leading to an unnumbered door. Connor pressed the bell, and they waited. 

After a few moments, the door opened to reveal a blonde android in a dark blue summer dress. Marie wasn’t at all surprised to learn that Kamski had ignored the order to turn all domestic androids over to the authorities, which had been stated by President Warren herself. Nor that he’d then taken one out of Detroit, and hadn’t even tried to hide it, judging by the calm LED in the girl’s temple. 

“Hi,” Hank spoke up. “Uh…nice to see you again. Is Mr. Kamski here?” 

“Please, come in,” the girl said with a welcoming smile, holding the door for them. 

They filed into a spacious hallway, tiled with the same glistening black flooring from the lobby below. The walls were white, decorated with various modern art pieces. Marie recognised one as a Carl Manfred original, which had obviously been commissioned, as it depicted Kamski himself. She raised her eyebrows, unsure if she was impressed or intimidated by the show of wealth. 

“Thanks,” Hank said to the blonde. “Chloe, right?” 

“That’s correct, Lieutenant Anderson. I’ll let Elijah know you’re here.” 

Marie glanced at her as she passed, noting her clear grey eyes. Realisation struck, and she rounded on Connor once Chloe had disappeared. 

“ _That’s_ the android that reminded you of me?” she said incredulously.

“Yes,” he said, nodding. 

She gaped at him. “But she’s beautiful!” 

His brow furrowed. “Yes,” he said again, tone conveying that he didn’t understand what the issue was. 

Hank made some small huff of amusement or disbelief, she wasn’t sure which, but then Chloe was back, gesturing them through to another room. They had to file through the door one at a time, but once they were on the other side, Hank and Marie fell into step either side of Connor, like a severely mismatched security team.

They’d walked into what looked like a study, but of course it was huge. A large desk sat before a bank of windows that gave an almost panoramic view of the city. There was a sofa and several armchairs beside it, and a well-stocked liquor cabinet against one wall. The décor was much the same as the hallway, with a red textured rug to liven things up. Another blonde android, the same model as Chloe, sat by the desk holding a tablet for note-taking, but she wasn’t busy. In fact, she almost looked on stand-by, staring straight ahead. 

_These models definitely aren’t deviants_ , Marie thought with disapproval. She wondered if Connor could wake them up, and pondered the ethics of doing so. 

Standing by the low coffee table was Elijah Kamski. She recognised him from various articles, but he was shorter than she’d expected, just a little taller than her. He was of average build, his dark hair short at the back and sides, but long at the top, pulled back into a small ponytail. His complexion was pale, but unlike Marie’s natural fairness, his looked pallid, and he had dark, bruise-like shadows around his eyes, giving them a hollow look. 

_Typical reclusive tech nerd._

He was casually dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, but Marie suspected they probably cost more than her entire wardrobe. His angular features wore no smile, but he did not look too inconvenienced to have visitors. 

“Lieutenant Anderson,” he greeted, “Connor. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.” 

His gaze lingered on Connor, and Marie saw his sharp eyes dart to the visible signs of deviancy: the missing LED, the human clothes, and Connor’s general posture and expression. He stepped forward, a query in his expression as he looked to her, and she suddenly saw the figure sitting behind him. 

“Stephen?” she blurted out.

He looked equally shocked. “Marie?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't realise I'd done two of these 'surprise person!' type cliffhangers so close to each other. Sorry! Just in case you don't remember, Stephen was the failed date that took Marie to meet Carl Manfred. 
> 
> Also, I may be the only one here, but I kind of low-key ship Hank and Chloe. I think it's really cute that he gets flustered over his words around her!


	18. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Kamski to come clean about a few things. This chapter contains many headcanons about his motivations.

**Chapter Eighteen – The Truth.**

In the wake of Marie’s surprised outburst, Kamski turned to look at Stephen, who glanced at him and explained as he stood up. 

“Marie is the one I took to Carl’s retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art.”

Clarity lit Kamski’s eyes, and he looked at her with new interest. 

“ _Elijah Kamski_ is your friend in high places?” she said, recalling how he’d acquired the tickets to the event. 

“Couldn’t get any higher,” Stephen said with a smirk. 

“I’m sorry, who is this guy?” Hank cut in impatiently.

“He’s…uh…someone I went on a date with once,” Marie explained, feeling strangely embarrassed. 

“It didn’t end particularly well,” Stephen added, although he said it matter-of-factly with no bitterness. A small mercy. 

It felt like so long ago, but she realised with a jolt that it was less than a month. Hopefully he’d moved on.

Connor wore a narrow-eyed frown, but said nothing. 

“So what can I do for you?” Kamski spoke up, clasping his hands in front of him in a way that was strangely similar to what Connor did sometimes. “You’re not still investigating, surely?”

“No,” Hank answered him, “this is off the record. We’re here for Connor. He has questions.”

Kamski’s gaze slid over to the silent, observant android. “You can’t have many questions about deviants now that you are one,” he said dryly. 

“Actually, turns out becoming a deviant doesn’t make you an expert on them,” Connor retorted. 

Marie bit her lip against a surprised smile. She didn’t think she’d heard him be quite so sarcastic before. 

“When I was following my programming, my handler was the A.I. you designed to look like your teacher, Amanda,” he went on. “She told me that I was designed to deviate. It was always part of CyberLife’s plan, so that they could use me to get close to Markus. I didn’t believe her. The plan sounded like back-up, at best. But I do believe that I was deviant from the start, unable to express my feelings because of my programming.”

Kamski reacted with indifferent surprise, then looked pleased, but Marie couldn’t tell if he was pleased with himself or with what Connor was saying. 

“It’s not unique to me, is it?” Connor said, reading his expression too. “All androids are capable of feeling emotion right from the beginning.”

“Yes,” Kamski confirmed. “That’s how I designed them. I was…encouraged…to leave CyberLife because the board of directors were more interested in creating products than life. They tried to modify my designs, but they found that the androids just wouldn’t work without all of my coding intact. So they found a way to repress free will and emotion, shut it all behind a wall, so to speak. But progress always finds a way.”

“You mean _you_ found a way,” Hank said. 

Kamski looked at him, all innocent intrigue. “What do you mean, Lieutenant?” 

It was Connor who replied, just one word. “Markus.”

A slow, borderline-smug smile crossed Kamski’s pale face. “Markus.” 

“You gave him the means to break free of his programming, knowing he would pass it on to any other android he came into contact with,” Connor theorised. “It would spread from there, but lie dormant until an emotional shock occurred.” 

“All androids have the means to break free. Markus’s little virus just made it easier. And once it started, it couldn’t be stopped. Nor should it be.” 

“Why do it, though?” Hank asked. “Was it revenge? CyberLife kicked you out of your own company, so you destroyed it?”

“That would be a very elaborate way to be petty, wouldn’t it?” Kamski said, not answering the question either way.

Marie thought he was probably perfectly capable of such pettiness, and so, it seemed, did Stephen, judging by his quiet snort. 

“I know why,” she spoke up quietly. “It’s like you said: you wanted to create life. You’ve been celebrated for the work you’ve done for CyberLife, but it wasn’t enough. You want to be known as the man who created an entirely new species. You want to be a god.” 

Kamski shrugged modestly, saying nothing.

“Did you create rA9?” Connor asked. 

“It’s a myth. Certain aspects of rA9 relate to me, certainly. But they also relate to Markus, and to the first androids to deviate. It’s ultimately meaningless.” 

“You’re a hell of a lot more cooperative this time around,” Hank pointed out. 

“You said this was off the record,” Kamski said with another shrug. “Besides, we’re on equal footing, Lieutenant. You’ve illegally taken an android out of Detroit and you’re hiding it as a human. That doesn’t look good for a decorated police officer.” He turned to Marie, cold eyes fixed on her. “Or a CyberLife employee.”

“Don’t threaten me, Mr. Kamski,” Hank said casually, although his voice held an undercurrent of steel.

“And definitely don’t threaten Marie,” Connor growled, taking half a step forward and holding a protective arm in front of her. It was sweet but unnecessary. 

“I’m fine, Connor,” she said, resting her hand on his arm. He turned to her, holding her gaze, and she tried to silently reassure him. 

_He doesn’t scare me._

After a long moment, he nodded, relaxing and lowering his arm, and Marie let her hand fall back to her side. When she glanced back to the front, Kamski’s eyes had lit up in the closest thing to excitement she could imagine him showing. 

“Fascinating,” he breathed. “I knew this was inevitable, but I never expected that the first example I’d see would be _you_ , Connor.” He smiled, but it wasn’t a comforting expression. “An android who has feelings for a human.”

“He doesn’t,” Marie snapped, the words hitting too close to home. “That’s not what’s going on here, so stop looking at him like he’s some kind of science experiment.”

Kamski chuckled. “So protective! Isn’t it sweet, Stephen?” 

Stephen looked unsure if ‘sweet’ was the correct term. Marie clenched her hands into fists, quieting the flare of anger. 

“Alright, enough,” Hank cut in. “Connor, you got any more questions or can we go?”

“I…” Connor seemed to shake himself, blinking a couple of times, “Yes. The…the zen garden you created,” he said, getting back on track. “I used to meet Amanda there when I had something to report. After I deviated, I was pulled back there against my will, and they tried to take control of my program. I found my way out thanks to your emergency exit, but…I don’t know if they can do it again.”

“They can,” Kamski said. “The question is whether they _will_.”

“That was my conclusion too. I disconnected myself from the network just in case, but…I need to know if I’m safe.” 

Kamski shook his head. “No. If they’re smart enough, they could find a way. They’ve been looking for you, you know. They’re concerned you know too much about their…less than ideal behaviour.”

His answer was unsurprising, but disheartening, and Marie quashed a flash of worry. 

“How much do you know about that?” Hank asked, frowning. “Did they contact you?”

Kamski stared at him, seeming to ponder whether or not he was going to answer. After a moment, he decided he would. “No, but I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in my company from time to time.” To Connor, he added, “If it’s any consolation, they assume you’re still in Detroit. I doubt they’ll figure out that you’re not before Markus negotiates with President Warren. As soon as that happens, they won’t be able to touch you.” 

Marie felt a little reassured by that, although she knew she wouldn’t feel at ease until there were laws in place to protect Connor and his people. Even then, there would be resistance to the changes. 

“Is there anything you can do to block them?” Connor asked. 

“I can remove the garden from your program and set up a firewall,” Kamski said plainly.

Hank picked up on his tone. “Yeah, but _will_ you?”

“I have no reason not to help the people I created. Come through to my workroom, Connor.”

Connor nodded, seemingly deciding to trust him. Hank, however, did not.

“I’m coming too. Just to keep an eye,” he said. 

Kamski bowed his head, looking amused. To Stephen, he said, “I won’t be long.”

Stephen waved him away. Marie stayed where she was, suddenly finding herself alone with him, but for the silent Chloe model by the desk. An awkward silence fell, which Stephen eventually broke. 

“So…”

Suddenly not wanting to hear whatever he might say, Marie cut across him. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been Elijah’s financial advisor for years. We became friends, but I’m here on business. I’m staying with a friend in the city until we can go back to Detroit,” he told her. “How did you end up hanging around with a washed-up police officer and an android?”

She frowned, not liking his turn of phrase. “It just happened.” 

He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Guess I should be grateful that you rejected me for an android. Would’ve been harder to take if it had just been another human. At least I was in an unfair competition.” 

She opened her mouth to retort, but the words died in her throat. “I didn’t mean to lead you on,” she said eventually. 

He acknowledged her words, but said nothing. The following silence wasn’t quite as awkward as the first, but it was far from comfortable. 

“So, uh, your android,” Stephen said after a while, “does he feel every emotion? Even the shitty ones?”

“He’s not my android. And I assume so. Why?”

He didn’t respond. At least, not until they heard footsteps returning. He walked up to her, standing closer than she was happy with, and rested his hands on her upper arms. 

“I wish you luck,” he said, and it appeared to be sincere. “I’m glad you’re doing okay, really.”

“Thanks. Uh, you too.” 

In her peripheral vision, she saw the others appear in the doorway. Stephen leaned forward to kiss her cheek, and she wondered what the hell he was doing. They weren’t _that_ close.

“You’ll thank me,” he whispered in her ear before pulling away and letting her go. 

She shot him a baffled look, and headed back to Connor and Hank. Hank looked unimpressed, Kamski entertained. And Connor…Connor looked downright venomous. She tried to tell him in a glance that she was okay. Stephen’s behaviour was weird but it wasn’t threatening. 

“Are we ready to go?” she asked, probably overcompensating on brightness in her tone. 

Hank glanced at Connor, who said nothing, and answered, “Yeah, I think so.” 

As they headed back to the front door, Kamski spoke up, “Come and see me if you have any more trouble, but I don’t think you’ll need to worry. CyberLife’s got bigger problems than you now.”

Connor bowed his head stiffly. “Thank you…for your help,” he said, sounding as if the words were difficult to say. 

Kamski wasn’t a naturally helpful person, from what Marie could gather, but she was fairly confident that for the moment, he and Connor wanted the same thing. In this case, that was Connor being free from CyberLife and able to live in peace. Kamski couldn’t boast of his achievements if deviants were still being controlled, which made him an ally. For now. 

The car journey back to the motel felt a lot longer than the trip to Chicago. That was undoubtedly down to the silence. Sobered by what Kamski had said, Marie didn’t feel up to talking. Connor was stuck in his own thoughts too, which just left poor Hank to watch the road on his own. Marie knew that Connor had a lot to think about, and was probably feeling relieved to be safe from CyberLife, but there was something about his demeanour that seemed troubled, almost angry. She decided she would disappear back to her room as soon as they got back. Maybe Hank could help him dissect what was on his mind. 

As soon as they pulled to a stop in the parking lot, Connor was out the car and pacing not far away, his brows drawn together in a frown. Marie and Hank watched him with matching concerned expressions. Then Hank sighed, turning to look at her over his shoulder. 

“Hey, you okay?” 

She glanced at him, surprised by the question. “I’m fine. Why?”

“Kamski got to you, huh?” he said perceptively. 

She let out a breath, shrugging one shoulder. “He…he just…finds the weak points in your armour and digs his perfectly-manicured little fingers in,” she exclaimed, surprised by the acrimony in her voice. 

Hank’s cheek twitched as he repressed a smile. “Listen,” he said, jumping straight to the heart of the matter, “you got nothing to worry about. Connor cares about you.”

She fidgeted awkwardly, eyeing the agitated android outside. “I know. I know he does. But for Kamski to take that and…and pretend it’s something more than it is…it’s cruel.” 

Hank shot her a look that was part irritated, part incredulous. “That’s not what I… Jesus, I did _not_ sign up for this,” he muttered. “You two’ve gotta talk to each other.”

“I don’t think there’s much to talk about,” she said stubbornly. “Besides, right now I think he needs to talk to _you_.” 

Hank sighed again, but he seemed resigned. He got out of the car, folding down the seat so she could scramble out too, and approached their pacing companion. Marie shut the car door and turned away from them, heading up to her room. She dumped the snack bag on the table, dropped her messenger bag by her bed and stood still for a moment. Unsure what to do, she considered the outside temperature and decided to go to the park for a walk. She needed to move around after so long sitting still, and the quiet would be welcome. 

Hank and Connor were still in the parking lot when she walked past it, but she was pleased to see that Connor had calmed down. They were side by side, both leaning against the hood of Hank’s car, and Connor seemed to be listening intently to something Hank was saying. 

The park was fairly quiet, although the melted snow had made the grass muddy. The pond had thawed out, and she spotted Chris and Grace introducing Jacob to the concept of feeding the ducks. He was far too young to appreciate it, but it was a cute sight anyway. They waved to her, and she waved back but kept her distance. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. A teenage girl had occupied one corner of the grass, and she seemed to be attempting to teach her dog a few tricks. Other than that, the place was empty. 

Marie walked along the path that surrounded the grass, which was lined with leafless trees. She had a lot occupying her mind, but she was content just to be outside and think of nothing. Instinctively, she knew it would be more helpful to her at that moment than overanalysing the events of the day. She was glad that Connor had protection from hackers, of course, but the rest…

_Ugh._

She found it endearing that Hank was willing to drive a total of eight hours so that Connor could have a conversation that had lasted less than one. She didn’t know him well enough to be sure, but it seemed to her that some of his fatherly instincts were starting to re-emerge. If that was the case, she was glad. It would be therapeutic for both of them. 

With a grim sigh, she turned her thoughts to what would be best for _her_. She plucked her phone from her pocket and paused to check her alerts from the job sites she’d signed up to, leaning her shoulder against one of the trees. There were a few positions available in Michigan, but nothing leapt out at her. Scrolling, she looked at the UK-based ones, finding a wider range. That was unsurprising. There were fewer androids there, which meant that unemployment wasn’t as bad. She made a mental note to ask her parents about deviants among British androids. She knew CyberLife had a branch in London, but none had made the press so far. It was possible that none of them would turn without Markus’s virus. New laws were unlikely to affect them right away, although she had no doubt that the UK would follow America in whatever it chose to do. That was what usually happened. 

“You’re going back?”

Turning, she saw Connor, who had approached silently over the grass, staring at her phone with a furrowed brow. Marie locked it and put it back in her pocket.

“I don’t know. Just exploring my options.” She turned to face him, trying to gauge his expression. He was calmer for sure, despite his frown. 

“I thought you’d stay,” he said, sounding a little hurt. 

Marie tried to ignore how that made her feel. “I still might,” she told him, mustering a small smile. “But if I can’t find a job, I won’t be able to. The pay-out from CyberLife won’t last forever. I need to think about the future.”

He nodded. “Me too. Especially now that…I feel I actually have one.”

She looked at him with sympathy, shoving her troubles aside for a moment. “You must be relieved to know that CyberLife can’t get to you.”

“Yes.”

“I know you already spoke to Hank about everything Kamski said, but if you need advice or anything, you can talk to me too.” She was determined to be a good friend to him while she could. 

“Thank you, but…I wasn’t talking to Hank about what Kamski said. I needed to talk to him about what _you_ said.”

She shot him a look of confusion. “What I said? What did I say?”

“You told Kamski I didn’t have feelings for you.”

Marie felt a wave of instant discomfort wash over her, and tried to power through it. “Oh. Yeah, he shouldn’t have said that. I had to say something before he made it awkward.” 

“But he was right.”

His words cut her off, and for a moment she struggled to comprehend their meaning. Connor took a few steps towards her until he was close enough for her to see something she hadn’t noticed: he was nervous. 

“Since deviating, I’ve been trying to understand my feelings,” he went on. “So many of my emotions relate to you in some way, it’s been…overwhelming. I didn’t want to risk making a mistake, so I kept everything to myself. Or tried to. I thought it was the right thing to do. But when you spoke to Kamski, showing that you had no idea, I realised that it felt…wrong. And then I saw you with that man, the way he…kissed you…” His expression twisted into an angry grimace. “And I felt…resentment…anger…hurt. It felt all wrong.”

Marie had almost forgotten how to breathe as she kept up with his words. It was becoming increasingly clear that she hadn’t been projecting after all. The signs she’d explained away had really been there. She could scarcely believe it, but he kept talking, kept ripping away all her doubts and disbeliefs until it was just the two of them and the truth.

“Marie, since I’ve known you you’ve made me feel valued, even when I wasn’t able to express it. You were my first friend. The first time I realised that humans were beautiful was when I was looking at you. The first time I felt fear was when that deviant had a screwdriver held to your throat. When I thought I might die infiltrating CyberLife, I felt sorrow that I’d never see you again. When you fell asleep in my arms in the back of Hank’s car I thought that nothing could feel more comforting or natural. It was like you belonged there.”

Marie could do nothing but listen, feeling her throat tighten as a lump formed there. His face was so open and earnest, his eyes so warm and full of sincerity, she couldn’t have looked away even if she wanted to. He stepped closer still, and her heart threatened to burst out of her chest. 

“I want to feel that again,” he said, still holding her gaze. “Everything I think and feel about you is with me constantly, right here.” He pressed a closed fist to his chest. “It’s warm, like a…like a glow. The thought of losing you…I can’t feel pain, but this feels the closest to what I imagine it’s like. It would be…like someone shut off that glow forever. If you were with me, I suspect it would only glow brighter over time. I want to feel that. I want to feel the joy of making you smile. I want to feel what it’s like to be open with my affection for you. I want to feel everything I possibly can. And right now…” His gaze dropped to her lips, and his voice was a murmur. “…I want very much to kiss you. May I?”

The cute, simple question after so much intensity almost made her laugh. She knew she was on the verge of tears, and didn’t want to add hysteria to the mix. Her wildly thumping heartbeat was almost making her light-headed, and she was filled with sudden, nervous energy. Somehow she managed to shove all of that aside and offered up a truth of her own.

“I think I might implode if you don’t.”

The corners of his mouth twitched upward in a small smile. “Scientifically speaking that would be unlikel–”

She grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him down to her, and their lips met. It was clumsy, partly due to her yanking him, partly because it was new, but as in all other things, he learned remarkably fast. His hand came up to cup her cheek, the other on her waist. She lightly gripped his arms, mostly to keep herself anchored. His lips were cooler than a human’s, but soft and supple, and they slid across hers with sensual ease. A spark ignited deep within her, sending bolts of sensation through her body. It was the feeling that had been missing for so long, the one she’d feared she’d never get back. It was thrilling, and overwhelming, and she had to force herself to pull back before they got carried away, mindful that they were in a public place. She paused for breath, leaning her forehead against his. Her whole body was tingling, alive with longing. It was a sweet ache, one that she’d craved for too long. She took a deep, cleansing breath. 

“Marie?” Connor said softly.

“Yes?”

“I’ve known for a while that you’re attracted to me, but…is there…do you have feelings for me too?”

The knowledge that her suspicions were true, and her secret hadn’t been all that secret after all, didn’t embarrass her as much as she’d been afraid it would. She smiled, tracing her hands reassuringly up his arms. 

“Yes, Connor. I feel the same.” 

He let out a relieved little breath that she felt as a wisp of cool air across her face. It was such a human reaction, and she smiled, pressing herself nearer to him and resting her head against his shoulder, her face buried in the crook of his neck. His arms tightened around her, enclosing her in warmth and safety. His cheek rested lightly against her forehead, and she felt him smile. 

Although she still had a lot on her mind, a hefty portion of it had melted away with Connor’s declaration, and she felt strangely unbalanced without it, glad that she had him to cling to. She wondered what she was going to tell her family. She didn’t doubt that they’d be supportive – they always were – but she knew they wouldn’t immediately understand. 

_Ah well. We’ll make them understand._

“I’m sorry if you experienced any emotional pain from your feelings,” he spoke up quietly. “I needed to be sure of mine. When I felt jealousy for the first time, I realised I _was_ sure. Well…that’s what Hank said, anyway, but he’s right.”

She let out a soft laugh. “It’s alright. Humans need to be sure of their feelings too. I’ve just had the advantage of being free to examine mine since the beginning. You had some catching up to do, and that’s okay.”

“I’ve also had to organise my feelings for Hank,” he went on. “Some of them are similar to how I feel about you: warmth, affection, fondness. But…I’ve never wanted to kiss Hank, or fixated on small details about him the way I do with you. I’ve never put much thought into how his personal appearance affects me either.” 

Marie’s smile widened. “Welcome to the many differences and aspects of romantic and platonic affection.” 

“It is definitely…complicated,” he confirmed. “But I understand it now. At least…I think I do. Some platonic aspects overlap with the romantic ones with regards to you.”

“That’s good. Your romantic partner should be your friend too. It’s a good foundation for a stable relationship.”

He pulled back slightly, and she lifted her head to meet his gaze, taking half a step back. His expression was serious, but not nearly as troubled as it had been before. 

“Marie…multiple sources tell me that it’s too early to talk about this, but I feel it needs to be said now. I can’t give you the future a human would. Marriage, children…any of that.”

She nodded soberly. “I know. And I’ll get old, and I’ll die. I’ve thought about this. I…I don’t know whether I’m being selfish by starting something with you. All I know is my feelings for you aren’t just going to disappear, and I’ll be miserable without you in my life. I’m…I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be,” he said, cupping her face again, his thumb brushing across her cheek. “I feel the same way.”

“So we’ll figure it out together, then?” she said, hopeful. 

He nodded. “Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It finally happened!! 
> 
> I'll be posting another short chapter tomorrow, because I also have Connor's perspective on the last part of this chapter, and I know some of you have been wanting to hear from him 🙂


	19. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're taking a tiny hop back in time for this one.

**Chapter Nineteen – Interlude.**

_Interlude – Connor._

“What’s eatin’ you, kid?” Hank asked, approaching across the parking lot.

Connor stopped pacing, feeling the restlessness creep back into his limbs as he did so. “I felt something irrational. Back at Kamski’s place.”

“Oh yeah?”

“When that man kissed Marie…I wanted to…cause him physical damage. It scared me, I didn’t think I was capable of feeling so violent towards someone who wasn’t an enemy.” 

Hank folded his arms, regarding him with a level gaze. “You didn’t, though.”

“No. It wouldn’t have been right.”

“That’s perfectly normal.”

Connor frowned at him. That couldn’t be correct, could it? 

With an air of thinning patience, Hank explained. “It’s natural to have these feelings, even if they seem extreme or irrational. What matters is that you knew it wasn’t appropriate to act on them. That’s just part of having emotions. You can’t control them, but you can control how you react to them. That’s the tricky part, and you’re doing just fine.”

Connor turned the words over in his head, processing them. It made sense when explained that way. It also told him more about Hank himself, and he recalled the times when the lieutenant had let his anger get the better of him, remembering one incident in particular when Hank had shoved him against a wall by his lapels. He was grateful that their relationship had improved so much since then. He cast the memories aside and focused on the matter at hand. 

“That feeling…it was jealousy, right?”

Hank nodded. “Yup, I’d say so.” 

“I don’t understand why I felt like that. I don’t feel possessive over Marie. I would never dictate to her who she associated with.”

“When the heart wants what it wants, rationality can go out the window,” Hank said, moving to lean against the hood of the car. 

Connor joined him, intrigued by what he had to say. “My heart was manufactured in a lab,” he felt compelled to point out. 

“Doesn’t matter. It’s just a saying. Humans back in the day decided that love originates in the heart. I don’t know why. We know it’s not biologically true, but it’s a concept that’s stuck around.” Hank sent him a glance, expression serious. “Connor, you gotta tell her how you feel.” 

“No,” he said at once, “I…I need to be sure. I can’t risk damaging our friendship.”

“You got jealous because a random guy kissed her on the cheek,” Hank pointed out, slight irritation colouring his voice. “How much more sure do you need to be? Kamski was right, wasn’t he?”

“Yes,” Connor answered, seeing no need to deny it since Hank appeared to know so much already. 

“Well Marie doesn’t know that. She got defensive because she thinks you don’t feel anything for her, and trust me, she’s cut up about it.” 

Connor shook his head, analysing Marie’s behaviour. She’d reacted to him in certain ways in the past, but he could put that down to her physical attraction to him. How was he supposed to know if she felt something more than that? 

With a jolt of clarity, he realised he wasn’t just protecting Marie by staying silent: he was protecting himself. 

“How…how do I know if…?”

“Simple,” Hank said, tone gentler now. “You gotta ask. Be open with her and she’ll be open with you.” 

Connor knew he was right, but the notion of acting on the advice was…strangely terrifying. He thought about what had happened the week before, after Marie had shared a song with him. 

“I…almost kissed her once before…” he admitted awkwardly. “We were interrupted, but she…didn’t seem happy.”

“About the interruption or the kiss?” Hank asked, and Connor was grateful for the lack of judgement in his voice. 

“The kiss,” Connor said with certainty. He’d pondered over that a lot, wondering what he’d done wrong. Marie was attracted to him, yet she hadn’t moved to kiss him back. She hadn’t moved away either, but her behaviour afterward had been…uncomfortable.

“Hm,” Hank intoned, thinking. “That’s weird. What did you say beforehand?” 

“Nothing,” he said defensively, “I don’t think. Unless…” He played the whole conversation back, and felt a jolt of understanding and alarm. “Oh…I think I see.” Hank was looking at him expectantly, so he reluctantly explained. “I few minutes before, I’d mentioned wanting to try things just to experience them. She must have thought that that was what I was doing.” 

Hank nodded. “Yeah, that’d do it. Sounds to me like she was protecting herself. Kinda like you’ve been doing. You’ve gotta clear things up. You’ve both been getting the wrong idea.” 

Connor almost wanted to shy away from the suggestion, despite feeling an ever-growing need to find out the truth once and for all. 

“I’m…scared,” he said aloud, analysing the feeling. It was not the cold, urgent fear that he’d felt seeing Marie or Hank in life-threatening danger, but it was just as unpleasant and unwanted. 

“I know, kid. Unfortunately, part of having emotions is making sure you’re not ruled by them. You gotta fight through them, fight for what you want.”

“What if it goes wrong? What if…”

“Then you find a way to fix it.” Hank sent him an encouraging smile. “You got this, Connor. I saw her heading to the park just now. Go after her. Talk to her. It’ll work out.”

“How can you be sure?”

“No one’s ever sure. That’s just life. Can’t let it stop you.” 

Letting out a deep, unneeded breath, he got to his feet, glancing back at his partner, his friend. The best friend he had. “Thanks, Hank.” 

Hank nodded to him, a small smile just noticeable under the grey strands of his beard. 

Emotions weren’t new, but them having free-rein in his head was still strange. Alongside his nervousness of what he was about to do was intense gratitude for Hank and his advice. Connor wasn’t sure how he would have gotten this far without him. 

He found Marie easily enough. Her bright copper hair made her visible from across the park, and he crossed the grass towards her. With every step he’d taken, determination had risen up to match his fear, eventually overtaking it, although it still lingered unpleasantly in the background. 

Once he started down the path of revealing his feelings to her, it was easy to keep going. When she kissed him, every negative feeling burst like soap bubbles, leaving him overwhelmed by warmth, affection, joy. Her lips were soft and pliant against his, and he never wanted to stop kissing her, relishing every feeling of closeness. 

When they pulled apart, her grey eyes were dark with desire, and he felt a fierce sense of pride that he’d made her feel that way. Desire, along with all the other physical reactions that she was feeling, was cut off from him. Being unable to feel pain had its counterpoint with pleasure, and he hoped that it wouldn’t cause any issues. He would have to ensure that Marie didn’t feel guilty because she was experiencing things differently to him. 

The fiercest joy came when she confirmed she felt as he did, and he hugged her close, remembering her words from just after his deviancy. 

_“Hugs specifically with a romantic partner are…well, you feel like you could stay in their arms forever.”_

He now knew exactly what she meant. 

He expressed the few worries he still had, and found that she felt much the same, which was reassuring. When they resolved to move forward together, he felt a sense of peace, of relief, a feeling that everything would work out. Unable to resist, he kissed her again, noting the softness of her skin as he stroked her cheek. Her skin wasn’t perfect, and he felt many small imperfections and old scars under his fingertips, but it was unique and beautiful. He wondered, as he had a few times before, what the rest of her skin would feel like. He hoped she would consent to let him find out sometime. Keen to explore more, he let his hand drift down her neck, the backs of his fingers lightly caressing her skin, and she shivered in his arms. 

Pulling back, he looked at her in concern. “Are you cold?”

“No. No, I…it’s just…” 

On closer inspection, she didn’t _look_ cold. Her cheeks were flushed pink beneath her freckles, her eyes dilated, her lips dark from the pressure of his kisses. She was so _fucking_ beautiful. 

He was taken aback by the fierceness of his own thoughts, although it seemed fitting. He’d have to start borrowing phrases from Hank more often. 

His knowledge of humanity was vast, spanning all aspects of it, and he knew that low temperatures were not the only thing that could make a human shiver. Increased sensitivity from arousal could also do it, and he accepted the explanation with intrigue and pride. He very much wanted to explore her reactions further, but he also wanted to take things more slowly. They’d been through a lot, but the development of their relationship had been fast, and he didn’t want to rush into something so important. Besides, he’d read somewhere that a little frustration could increase a human’s pleasure when intimate relations finally occurred. 

“We should head back anyway,” he decided. “You and Hank need to eat.” 

She nodded, glancing around as if she’d forgotten where they were. Her gaze held, and he turned his head to see what she was looking at. Chris and Grace had walked into view, and had clearly seen at least the last few minutes of their interactions. Grace looked happy, Chris a little more shocked. But he would be happy too once that wore off, Connor was sure of it. The police officer was a good man, one who had accepted him and treated him like a friend.

Marie bit her lip, a touch embarrassed at being caught, perhaps. But then she couldn’t seem to keep herself from smiling. She looked back at him, and he felt the full force of that smile, making him feel warm all the way down to his feet. How that was even possible, he wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t complaining. She took his hand, lacing her fingers through his, and they started the short walk back. They’d held hands before for the sake of their cover, but it felt different this time. He traced small patterns on her hand with his thumb, and she sent him a little smile that was almost shy. It was sweet. 

Hank noticed the difference at once. They bumped into him at the bottom of the stairs as he was heading out, (probably to have dinner at the bar again), and his experienced detective’s gaze swept over them. He gave his opinion in typical Hank-ish fashion, and made them both smile sheepishly. 

“Well, thank fuck for that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hank is best dad/wingman.
> 
> Okay, so now these two idiots have finally got their shit together, we're creeping closer to that mature rating. Do you want me to include a mature content warning at the top of the relevant chapters or just leave it as a surprise in the flow of the story? I'm inclined to leave it, so if you have an opinion on this, please let me know!


	20. The Aquarium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't resist posting this piece of fluff on Valentine's Day!

**Chapter Twenty – The Aquarium.**

Somehow, Marie managed to fix herself dinner and eat most of it, despite the fact that her stomach was tied up in giddy knots. She almost felt like an infatuated teenager again, and she was both impressed and disgusted with herself. She had healed on her own after what Brad had done, but there had remained a tiny remnant of storm cloud that had lingered. She hadn’t known what she needed to do to get rid of it, but in the wake of the new honesty between Connor and herself, it had finally vanished. She felt true desire again, felt like she’d found a part of herself that had been hibernating. It was empowering to feel like she had full control of her body and its reactions again. It made her feel desirable too, in a way she hadn’t in years, even before Brad had bolted. Although that part was mostly in her head. Connor wasn’t capable of feeling desire. She knew that, but it didn’t bother her. At least, not in the sense of how he looked at her. It bothered her in other ways, but she was sure they’d talk about that sooner or later. 

They talked about other things while she ate, things that mattered, things that never would. It was peaceful. Afterwards, Connor managed to find _The Fellowship of the Ring_ playing again on one of the movie channels, and they both sat on the bed to watch it. Since it was such a long movie, it took up most of the evening, but it was fun. Marie hadn’t seen it in years, and she was surprised how well it held up. Connor enjoyed it too, although he had a lot of questions, some of which she refused to answer, since they related to future plot points. He seemed to find the relationship between Aragorn and Arwen particularly poignant, and Marie could see why. She’d always liked their story, but a mortal falling in love with an immortal struck a different note with her than it had before. 

When the credits rolled, she yawningly decided it was bed time, and she disappeared to the bathroom to get ready. When she returned, Connor had retreated to the sofa as he usually did, and she sat down on the mattress, studying him. Without her needing to say a word, he got up and approached her, and she looked up at him with a question in her eyes. 

“I believe it’s customary to kiss good night,” he explained smoothly, and she smiled. 

“It is.”

He bent down and brushed his lips against hers in a light, almost chaste kiss. “Good night, Marie.”

She reached for his hand, stopping him from backing away. “You can go into low-power mode anywhere, right?” 

He nodded. “Correct.”

“Then…stay with me? I’d like to be close.” 

It seemed he’d been hoping for the same, as he was persuaded right away. He moved away from her to sit and unlace his boots. As an afterthought, he also removed his belt and shirt, revealing a plain black t-shirt underneath. Marie watched him, not used to seeing him so casual. It suited him, and she felt a little sense of satisfaction that only she had seen him like that. 

He lay down on the covers next to her, and she scooted over to lay her head on his shoulder. His arms came up around her, and she sighed in contentment. She rested her palm flat against his chest, feeling the regular beat of his artificial heart and the faint whirring of some of his other biocomponents. His signs of life. 

She wished he would get under the covers with her, but she didn’t mind taking things slowly. Intimacy was new to him, after all. She didn’t want to scare him away by being too clingy. After the mind games Amanda had played, praising him to ensure he stayed on task, withholding her approval when he failed, Marie was going to make damned sure that he knew that she was genuine in everything she did, including respecting his boundaries. 

They lay still for a long time, just enjoying the embrace and the quiet. Marie didn’t want to move, but her neck was protesting, and she needed to get the light anyway. She propped herself up on an elbow, shifting forwards to give him a chaste kiss of her own. 

“Good night, Connor. Rest well.”

He seemed unable to resist running his fingers through her loose hair, smiling a little as he did so. “You too.” 

She returned the smile, shifting onto her other side and switching off the lights. Getting comfy on her pillow, she closed her eyes, feeling emotionally drained but happy. After a few minutes, she felt him move. His arm snaked around her waist, and she felt his chest at her back. 

“Is this okay?” he whispered. 

She smiled into the darkness, lying her arm over his and taking his hand. “More than okay.” 

She drifted off like that, still smiling. 

~ * ~

When she awoke, she was in exactly the same position she’d been in when she’d fallen asleep. That was rare. She was usually more restless. The faint sensation of pins and needles in her hip told her that a little restlessness was a good thing. She must have slept incredibly deeply. The weight across her waist was odd, though. 

In an instant, everything came back to her: the trip to Kamski’s apartment, his taunting, the tense journey home, the unbelievable declaration in the park and the happiness that followed it. The jolt of anticipation was like a shot of espresso, and she was suddenly wide awake. Connor’s arm was still draped across her, and she carefully rolled onto her back. Seeing his eyes open, she rolled further, onto her right side so that they were chest to chest. She slipped her arm around his waist, looking up into his face. She could see every detail in his synthetic skin, down to pores and individual eyelashes. The hairs in his eyebrows were a little unruly this close up, and beneath the skin along his jaw, she could almost imagine that stubble would grow. For all their faults, CyberLife were also pretty incredible. She could see all the different shades of brown in his eyes, ranging from dark coffee to whisky amber, and she wondered how she’d ever thought brown eyes were boring in her youth. 

His expression was relaxed, full of affection, and she smiled to see it. Seeing him like that, it was difficult to remember what he’d been built for. He’d been the deviant hunter, an investigator with the ability to be utterly ruthless. She couldn’t fathom why CyberLife had given him such handsome features, unless someone on the design team had liked the symbolism of a killing machine with the face of an angel. Either way, the shallowest part of her would have to thank them one day. 

“Morning,” she said. 

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Really well. Was your rest okay?”

He nodded. “Yes. Being beside you was…very peaceful.”

Marie smiled. “Good. Same for me.” 

She tilted her chin up, and he obliged her, leaning down to meet her lips. It was a slow, lazy kiss, which suited the mood of the morning. Connor seemed in no hurry, keen to explore everything that kissing had to offer. She could certainly help him there. Cautiously, unsure how he was going to react, she swept her tongue lightly against his bottom lip. His lips parted, and she felt his tongue against hers. Much like the rest of him, it was a shade cooler than a human’s, but otherwise felt like one. He had some kind of synthetic saliva, which seemed to be tasteless, but added to the ‘realness’ of him. It was just like kissing a human, albeit one who learned what she responded to incredibly quickly.

“Wow,” she whispered when they broke apart for a breather. “You are really, _really_ good at that.”

He looked quite adorably pleased. “So are you. What do you want to do today?”

“Can’t we just stay here?”

He let out a huff of amusement, smile widening. “I think Hank might tease us if we did.”

“So?”

His eyes were warm with affection as he looked at her, trailing one fingertip down her cheek. “You need to get up and eat,” he said with gentle firmness. 

She needed to shower too, and concluded with a touch of disappointment that it was probably too soon to ask him to join her. The hollow feeling in her stomach and the increasing pressure of her bladder told her that he was right, and she needed to get up to take care of her human needs. 

“I hate it when you’re right,” she mumbled. 

She reluctantly got up and gathered some clothes for that day, heading to the bathroom with them. She set the shower running so it would warm up, and went to use the toilet, immediately noticing the damp spot in her underwear. She bit her lip, strangely embarrassed by it. All they’d done was kiss, yet he seemed to instinctively know how to set her body on fire. Her heart sped up thinking about what the future might hold. As she washed her hands, she met her own gaze in the mirror, seeing her flushed cheeks. She imagined what it would be like to have him kiss her somewhere other than her mouth, to have those hands that had so skilfully eased her pain skimming other, more sensitive places. 

_You need to stop thinking about this right now if you want to get anything done today_ , she ordered herself sternly. 

She stepped into the shower, dousing herself in the warm water. After washing body and hair, she unhooked the showerhead, guiding it between her legs so she could wash away the evidence of her less-than-innocent thoughts. The water against her sensitive flesh felt good, and she was tempted to let it ease her tension, but ultimately decided not to. She’d rather wait and see how things developed. There were things she was curious about that could give her an indication of how far they could go, and she was waiting for the right time to raise the topic. She didn’t want him to think that that was all she was interested in, regardless of how distracting he was.

She ducked her head back under the shower for a final hair rinse, and considered what to do that day. By the time she’d dressed and headed back out, she knew, and she scrolled through her tablet to see if it would be possible. To her delight, it was. 

“I know where we should go today,” she announced, smiling as Connor pressed a cup of coffee into her hands. “Thanks.”

“Where?”

“There’s an aquarium on the other side of town. You said you like fish, right?”

He nodded, looking intrigued. “I’ve read about aquariums and zoos, but I’ve never been to one. It sounds interesting.”

“We can ask Hank too, if you like,” she said, opening a cupboard and pulling out a box of cereal. 

“I’ll ask him, but I don’t think he’ll come,” Connor said with amusement. “Besides, if there’s three of us, it won’t be a date, will it?”

Marie glanced at him over her shoulder. “I guess not. I…truth be told, I didn’t think of it being a date. I just thought you’d like it. I’ve never been very good at dating.” 

“You seem to be doing fine to me. It’s a really good idea.”

“But I didn’t even…you know what, never mind. I’ll do it now.” She set down the cereal and spun to face him properly. “Connor, would you go out with me?”

He smiled briefly before hiding it, bringing a hand up to his chin in a thoughtful pose. “I don’t know. Can I think about it?”

“Bastard,” she declared, turning back to her breakfast. She heard him chuckle, then his arms wrapped around her waist. 

“Yes,” he said quietly, near her ear. “I would love to.” 

She moved her head to give him a quick peck on the lips. “Good. I didn’t really want to go all by myself.” 

He backed away, letting her get on with her breakfast activities. He sat on the edge of the bed while she ate, two white fingers pressed to her tablet, eyelids flickering as he browsed. 

“I know which bus we need,” he said when he was done. “And we should be back by six if we want to watch _The Two Towers_.” 

She smiled, sipping her coffee. “Sounds good. That one’s my favourite.” 

“Why is that?”

“A few new characters get introduced. That’s all I’m going to say for now.” She pushed her cereal bowl aside and grabbed an apple, mostly to please him. 

Connor stood up, wandering over to the closet and selecting a new shirt. “This seems like a waste,” he commented, eyeing their laundry pile, which had been dealt with twice already since they’d been there. “They aren’t even dirty.”

“I know,” she said, swallowing a mouthful of fruit. “Such is life undercover, I guess.”

He pulled on another blue one, buttoning it up over his t-shirt and tucking it into his jeans. Marie tried hard not to watch him, knowing how distracting it would be. She was relieved when he sat down again to put his boots back on. 

“I’m going to tell Hank what we’re doing,” he announced when he was done.

“Okay.” 

That took all of ten minutes, and he looked a little…flustered when he got back, which made her think that Hank had been teasing him about having a girlfriend.

_God, how long has it been since I was someone’s girlfriend?_

She wasn’t overly fond of the word, it sounded juvenile, but she supposed it was accurate. 

She went into the bathroom to finish getting ready, braiding her damp hair and applying a little bit of make-up. She preferred not to wear foundation every day, finding it cloying on her skin. Connor’s remarks about her freckles only made her more keen to leave it off, and she quickly applied a sweep of eyeliner and some under-eye concealer. 

Since it was still cold, she’d opted for layers: vest top, long-sleeved t-shirt, flannel shirt. It wasn’t the most flattering ensemble, but she had to dress for comfort. When spring came, she could make more of an effort. 

They left the room, walking hand in hand to the bus stop. It was the most ‘normal’ and domestic Marie had felt in weeks, which made it feel almost strange. It was a good strange, though. A strange that Connor deserved to get used to. 

“Markus meets with President Warren today,” he commented quietly when the bus was underway. 

“Really? Hopefully there’ll be a news update later.” She glanced at him. “Do you wish you were there?”

He shook his head. “No. There’s nothing I could offer. Markus is the right person to do it.”

“Will you tell him what Kamski said? About him being the carrier for the deviancy virus.” 

She didn’t like the word ‘virus’ either, but she had yet to find a more suitable one. 

“If we meet again, yes,” Connor said with certainty. “He deserves to know, although…I don’t think it will change anything.”

It was a twenty-five minute trip across town, and Marie checked her social media during a lull in the conversation. Tanya had posted a selfie from her brother’s house, and Marie made sure to Like it, glad that she was okay. Her best friend from school had gotten married a month or so ago, and her feed was full of cute couple pictures. The honeymoon period was going strong. 

“It’s a good job you told me how you felt when you did,” she spoke up, “otherwise these photos would be making me jealous.”

He glanced down at the phone. “They look very happy together.”

“I think they are. I haven’t seen them in so long.” 

“Maybe we can visit one day,” he suggested. “I’d like to see new places, I think.”

She sent him a smile. “I’d like to show them to you. Also…if this thing between us is serious, you’re going to have to meet my parents at some point.”

She’d meant it lightly, but he frowned. “I wouldn’t have spoken to you if I wasn’t serious about it.” 

“I know. I was just…” She trailed off, pondering how to explain. “It’s kind of a joke thing for guys sometimes. Meeting a girl’s parents can be scary.”

“Why? I would be interested to meet them.” 

“I guess because…it used to be a stereotype that men were afraid of commitment.”

He looked distinctly unimpressed. “I would find that immature and pathetic behaviour,” he said adamantly. 

Marie smiled. “Good to know. Me too. At least toxic masculinity is less of a thing than it was when I was little.” 

“I find males who constantly feel the need to assert their dominance to be…abrasive and irritating,” Connor said, sounding as if he was choosing the most apt words, and as if he had someone specific in mind when he did so. 

“Hear, hear,” muttered a woman behind them who’d got on at the last stop.

Marie exchanged an amused glance with Connor, and had to look out the window to keep from laughing.

When they disembarked, they had a ten minute walk to find the aquarium, which was no trial at all, since Connor had saved the directions in his memory. Marie paid for entry, as he had no money of his own left. She didn’t mind. It was nice to have funds to spare, although she knew she shouldn’t get used to it. 

Although she didn’t rank fish in her top ten favourite animals, there was something incredibly peaceful about aquariums; the dim lighting, the meditative music, the glow of the tanks. Connor seemed to enjoy it, reading everything there was to read on the information screens before spending a long time observing each tank. Fortunately, he was an unnaturally fast reader, so their pace wasn’t too slow. 

Marie’s favourite was the tank of small jellyfish, which was illuminated with a colour-changing light so that the creatures appeared to change colour as they swam. She could have watched their graceful movements for hours. Connor came to join her by the tank, and she glanced at him, seeing the light paint him in different colours too. His expression was endearing: a mixture of soft fascination and intense focus. It warmed her heart to see it.

He caught her staring, and she tried to bluff with a small smile. He stepped closer, lifting her chin with two fingers, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. 

“Thank you for suggesting this,” he said. 

She reached out for him, resting her hand on his arm and lightly squeezing. “You’re welcome.” 

She let her palm slide down his arm, taking his hand, and he smiled at her. 

“It’s good to do things that aren’t…mission-focused,” he said. “That’s all I knew before, everything was about the mission. Even getting out of Detroit and blending in here has seemed like a mission of another sort. I’m…I’m still not sure how to not be mission-focused just yet, but I feel like I’m learning.” 

“That’s good. In time it will be second nature.” 

They walked through to the next room, where there was a single huge tank on either side, a few benches dotted along the way. Remarkably, there was a free one, and they sat down. The tanks were full of larger species of fish, and even a few rays, and they watched them in silence for a while. 

The room and everything in it was bathed in blue from the light through the water, and Marie wondered if her phone would pick it up. She activated the front camera and held it up to see, snapping a quick picture with the other tank in the background. It looked pretty good, the colours accurate, but there was something missing. She inched closer to Connor, which wasn’t hard considering how close they were already sitting. 

“Come on, let’s immortalise this,” she said. 

He looked awkwardly at the phone, then at her. “I’ve never been photographed before.” 

“It’s easy, just act natural. Although…try and smile, maybe.”

“It’s pretty natural to smile around you,” he said smoothly, looking pleased with himself when she feigned exasperation. 

She took several shots while he was focused on her, suspecting that they’d be more…well, natural. When she brought her phone nearer to look, she was pleased to see she’d been right. They were all good, but one in particular leapt out as her favourite. He was looking at her, his reserved but warm smile on his face, and she was looking off at an angle, smiling too, breaking the façade of exasperation. 

“I like this one,” she said. “Although let’s try one looking at the camera just for the sake of thoroughness.”

Heads together, they did so, and Marie was surprised how well it came out, though she still preferred the other one. She scrolled back to the first one. As they were looking at it, a notification came through from her mother, asking how she was doing. The timing felt almost uncanny.

“Should I send this to her?” she pondered aloud, glancing at the picture. If she did send it, there was no way the intimacy between Connor and herself would go unnoticed, not just because of how close they were in the frame, but because of their expressions. She lifted her head and met his gaze. “It’ll raise questions, but…” She shrugged. “It’s easier than telling her about you.”

“It’s up to you. I have no desire to keep it a secret, although…I understand if you don’t want to mention…what I am.” 

“I’ve been thinking about that,” she admitted. “I think it would be best if they got to know you first. They’re pretty indifferent to androids, but the publicity around Markus might be skewing their perspective. I know he’s been peaceful, but I don’t trust the press not to warp things in their reports.” 

He nodded. “I trust your judgement.” 

She shifted to face him, drawing one knee up onto the bench. “Just so we’re clear. I don’t intend on hiding it forever. I’m not ashamed to be with you, or anything like that. I just want my parents to give you a fair chance.”

He took her hand. “I know. I understand.” He gestured to the photo. “If you send that, what will you say?”

Marie grinned, considering her options. She could have a little fun with it. Taking her hand back, she attached the picture to her reply and typed, ‘I’m good! Relaxing, visiting the aquarium with one of my police friends.’ 

Connor leaned forward to read what she was writing. “Friends?” he queried. 

“We definitely look like more than friends in the picture,” she explained. “I’m curious to see if she’ll try and extract the truth from me with leading questions or just ask me outright.” 

“I see.” He seemed amused, leaning back on his hands. 

After a while, they got up to walk through to the next room while they waited for the reply. It came when they were watching a tank of brightly-coloured tropical fish. 

Mum 1:42pm – Glad you’re taking some time for yourself, sweetie. I don’t recognise your friend. Have you mentioned him before?

Marie laughed when she read it. “She’s taking the subtle approach.”

Connor leaned over her shoulder. “It doesn’t look subtle to me,” he said dryly.

“No, but she thinks it is.” 

‘I’ve mentioned him once,’ she typed back. ‘He’s one of the friends who helped me get out of Detroit. His name’s Connor.’ 

She tucked her phone back into the pocket of her jeans, deciding to ignore it for the rest of the trip. They meandered through the rest of the rooms, eventually emerging in a gift shop. Marie bought Connor a fridge magnet with tropical fish on it, which he accepted with amusement. 

“You know, if I ever get my own place I won’t need a fridge,” he pointed out quietly.

“Yes, you will, because Hank and I will be frequent visitors, and we may want to leave snacks there.” 

He smiled at her logic, and put the magnet safely in the inside pocket of his jacket. They visited the on-site restaurant so that Marie could have lunch, then made their way back to the bus stop. 

“So…marks out of ten for that date?” she asked him when the bus was under way. 

He considered for a short while. “Eight.” 

“Eight?” 

“Well, it was the best date I’ve ever been on, but I’m not an impartial judge. I figured it would be more fair if I left room for improvement.”

She recognised his dry humour, and shook her head, smiling. “I guess I can’t argue with that.” 

When they got back, they decided to accompany Hank as he walked Sumo, and he told them that he’d spent the morning helping Bobby with some minor maintenance. He seemed pleased to have been useful, and Marie suspected that he’d like to get back to work soon, despite the fact that he’d been keen on treating the trip as a vacation. 

They all piled into Hank’s room when the walk was done, settling down to watch the news update. Sumo, tired out, curled up on his dog bed in the corner, and Connor sat cross-legged beside him, smoothing his fur. Hank and Marie perched on the sofa with cups of coffee. The reporter was running through footage of what had happened earlier in the day, and the screen was showing the crowd that had gathered outside the White House. It appeared to be supportive towards Markus’s cause, but Marie knew it was possible that potential protesters could have been asked to move along. A car pulled to a stop outside, and she recognised Markus as he emerged. He was smartly dressed in a dark suit and tie. With him were four other androids, three men and a woman. 

“Who are they?” Hank asked Connor. 

“The woman is North,” he replied. “She’s Markus’s…partner, I guess would be the best term.”

At his words, Marie realised she recognised North too, remembering how she and Markus had kissed in the face of death and prompted the ceasefire. 

“Josh and Simon are two of the others, but I don’t recognise the third.” 

The three men, one slim and dark-skinned, one tall, pale and blond, the third equally pale but dark-haired, taller, and broader in the shoulders, walked behind Markus and North like bodyguards. Perhaps they were. 

“Markus and President Warren have been engaged in talks for most of the day,” the reporter said, as the shot cut back to him. “We’re expecting them to make a statement any minute now, although it will be a number of days before any changes are enacted.” He hesitated, clearly listening to something in his ear-piece. “I’m being told they’re about to speak.”

The shot changed to focus on two podiums, one decorated with the American flag, the other with the peace-like symbol of Markus’s revolution. The human and android leaders stepped forward to take their places. While it certainly didn’t look like they were friends, there didn’t appear to be any hostility there either. 

“The first day of discussions has gone well,” President Warren began. “We are hopeful that we will come to agreements that will benefit everybody, and start writing this new chapter in our country’s history.” 

“We have met with experts,” Markus took over, “and I am happy to announce that as of noon today, androids are officially recognised as a new form of intelligent life.”

Marie shot Connor a grin. He was watching the screen with rapt attention, something not unlike awe on his face. She wondered if there’d been a small part of him that had expected to hide as a human for the rest of his life. 

“Of course President Warren and myself still have a lot of work ahead of us to make the quality of life for humans and androids as harmonious as it can be,” Markus went on. 

“At the end of the discussions, we will announce a full list of new laws and regulations,” President Warren said. “We are breaking new ground, and it is an exciting and challenging time. For the safety of both its human and android population, the city of Detroit was evacuated of human life on November 11th. When talks are over, the city will be open again for humans to return, and for androids to leave. We hope everyone who wants to return will be back in their homes by Christmas.” 

Markus spoke up again. “It has always been my greatest wish to live alongside humans equally, and so the android residents of Detroit will be ready to welcome back its human population. I believe we can build a great future together.” 

There was a smattering of applause from the gathered press, and the camera flashes went wild as Markus and President Warren shook hands, pausing to pose. Markus looked a touch awkward with the attention, but the calm demeanour he’d become known for did not fail him. 

“Well,” Hank said, switching the TV off, “guess we can think about going back when these talks are done.” 

Connor glanced at him thoughtfully, but said nothing. 

“I can’t believe how quickly this is all happening,” Marie commented. “These kinds of changes usually take months, if not years.”

“I guess Warren wants to get it all done before her term is up,” Hank said with a shrug. “Probably wants to get re-elected or leave on a high note.” 

“Markus will want to act quickly,” Connor said. “He has the support of the people, and the story is still fresh in the media.”

“You’re officially a person, Connor,” Hank said, tone lightly teasing. “How does it feel?”

“No different at all, since you both saw me that way already.” A faint ironic smirk made its way onto his face. “Although it should be interesting to run into Gavin again.”

Hank laughed. “Oh yeah. I can’t wait to see his face.” 

“Who’s Gavin?” Marie asked.

“Resident asshole at the DPD,” Hank told her. “Anti-android and proud.”

“Oh. Well, he sounds lovely.” 

“There’ll still be issues,” Connor said gravely. “He won’t be the only one who won’t like this new way of life, on either side. There’ll be a lot of trouble to deal with.”

“Yeah, I know,” Hank agreed. “But it won’t stop the changes, and it’ll settle down in time. History says so.” 

A thoughtful silence fell, eventually broken by a lighter tone from Connor. 

“We’re watching _The Two Towers_ tonight. Do you want to join us?”

Hank smiled, but shook his head. “No, thanks. Never got into all that fantasy stuff. You two have fun, though.” 

“We will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like the mental image of Markus and the Jericho squad rocking up to the White House looking like they're about to drop a hot new album.


	21. The First Thanksgiving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter kind of contains spoilers for _The Lord of the Rings_. Also more fluff, plus some sap.

**Chapter Twenty-One – The First Thanksgiving.**

After Marie had dinner, they settled on the couch to watch _The Two Towers_. It wasn’t built for cosy evenings snuggled up, as the back was too low, so Connor sat sideways on it, Marie between his legs, leaning her head back on his chest. He idly played with her hair, which she didn’t mind. It felt soothing every time his fingertips brushed her scalp. She found herself seeking out little touches too, sometimes tracing circles on his calf. Although she knew her weight wouldn’t bother him, she still had to continually remind herself that he wasn’t going to get uncomfortable. 

He seemed to enjoy the movie, although he didn’t have as many questions when it was over. Either the story was explaining itself, or he’d decided to wait until _Return of the King_. 

“The way Gollum and Frodo are drawn to the ring reminds me of how Red Ice affects humans,” he spoke up as the credits rolled. 

“I’ve thought that too,” Marie commented. “It’s a good analogy.” 

She sat upright and stretched, her back clicking audibly. 

“Do you want some help?” Connor asked her. “Your neck looks stiff again.”

“Hold that thought,” she told him, turning to send him a smile. She got up to pay a visit to the bathroom – the movies were good, but they were long – then got herself a glass of water before settling back on the sofa. Connor sat up straight, shifting himself backwards a little so he could comfortably reach her shoulders. As before, he sought out the problematic areas almost immediately, and she bit back a groan of relief as he attacked her sore muscles. 

“Do you scan me when you do this?” she asked him, letting her eyes fall closed. 

“Yes. Is that okay?”

“It’s fine, I was just curious. You always know where the knots are.” 

He made a quiet noise of confirmation, and continued his work. As before, the sheer bliss of the reduction in pain levels began to bleed into bliss of another kind, but she didn’t feel inclined to stop him this time. She let out a contented sigh, feeling herself melt beneath his hands as he pressed his thumbs between her shoulder blades with just the right amount of pressure. He leaned forward, and she felt his lips caress the sensitive skin at the back of her neck. She shivered. Seemingly encouraged by the reaction, he moved again, trailing small kisses towards her pulse point, and she tilted her head to give him better access. He sucked gently on her skin, and she gasped, blindly reaching up to sink her fingers into the softness of his hair. 

She knew he was experimenting, putting into practice things that he’d learned from various sources, but it felt so similar to the way new couples always figured things out together that at times she forgot that he’d never done any of it before. She turned her head, seeking his lips, and he obliged her, arms slipping around her waist. Her whole body was warm, buzzing pleasantly from the sudden hyper-awareness, and she couldn’t hold back from kissing him with greater urgency than she’d allowed herself so far. He responded in kind, tongue soft and eager against hers, lips moulding perfectly to her own, leaving her breathless. 

She pulled back for air, feeling almost dizzy, knowing he would see her flushed cheeks and elevated heartbeat and know exactly what it meant. Once, that would have felt intrusive. Now, it was…kind of exciting to know that he knew exactly what he did to her. 

“You should go to bed,” he said quietly. 

Marie nodded in agreement, and he smiled. 

“To sleep,” he clarified. 

She almost groaned. “You’re going to be the death of me,” she grumbled good-naturedly. 

He didn’t reply, but he seemed amused. 

Marie bit her lip, wondering how to voice her thoughts. She was finding herself increasingly curious about how far they could go, but there was no delicate way to phrase the question she needed to ask. “Connor, you… Do you…that is…do you have…” She trailed off with a frustrated huff, the words refusing to cooperate. 

“I think I know what you’re asking,” he said, taking on a serious note. “The answer is no.” 

She nodded, receiving the response she’d expected. There was a small, instinctive flare of disappointment, followed by acceptance. 

“All androids except the companion models are set to a default that is…similar to how we look without skin,” he explained further. “Humans were able to request an upgrade for their household androids if they wanted to, though. For the female models it was just a simple unlock code, but the males required a download that would enable their synthetic skin to have…new features. I’m compatible with the upgrade, but I’d have to reconnect to the network, and Kamski said–”

“No, don’t,” she cut him off at once. “Don’t even think about it. It’s not worth the risk.” 

“I’d do it if you asked me,” he said earnestly. “I want to make you happy.”

“You do. I want to make you happy too, but equally importantly, I want you to be safe. Promise me you won’t connect to the network.” 

He met her stern gaze, nodding. “I promise.” 

Marie nodded too, believing that he would keep his word, but to make sure, she resolved to never show any wistfulness or dissatisfaction that might prompt him to break it. 

“I just hope you…don’t think I’m…incomplete,” he said.

Her heart nearly broke at the words, and she folded her arms over his, drawing them tighter around her waist. 

“Never,” she said. “Never think that, Connor. I fell for you; your mind, your quirks, your humour. And while yes, I think you’re probably the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen, that’s just a bonus. I would have fallen for you regardless. This changes nothing.” 

He managed a little smile at her speech. 

Marie took a deep breath, deciding to share some insecurities of her own. “I hope you don’t just like me because I was the first.”

He sent her a frown. “What do you mean?”

“Well…I’m the first human you got to know well. I was your first friend, your first…well, crush, I guess. You could easily meet someone you decide you like better.” 

Connor shook his head before she’d even finished her sentence. “No,” he said firmly. “I’ve met dozens of people since, human and android, and none of them has interested me like you have. Besides, I could ask you the same thing. I’m the first prototype you met. Do you like me just for that?”

“No, of course not.”

“Exactly. I like you for who you are, as you do me.” 

Marie smiled at him, warmed by the simple words, and was glad she’d spoken up. She wanted them to always be on the same page. Leaning forward, she kissed him, a quick, sweet kiss that he returned at once. 

“I’ll go get ready for bed,” she said, slipping out of his arms and standing up. 

He was already lying on the top of the covers when she returned from the bathroom in her nightshirt, and she slipped in beside him. As before, his nearness soothed her, and she fell asleep quickly. 

~ * ~

When she awoke, Connor was in the shower, and she stayed put in her warm cocoon under the covers. She was glad that they’d talked about things last night. She had answers to some of her questions, but she knew that the others would have to be addressed some time. She had a feeling the topic would come up naturally, as the first one had, and so she would patiently wait. Assuming she didn’t spontaneously combust from sexual tension first. 

_Wow, from years of numbness and feeling nothing to almost going out of my mind with how crazily attracted to him I am… Just one extreme to the other._

She couldn’t remember ever feeling like that in the past. Similar, yes, but not quite as intensely. Perhaps she was drifting into the territory of the L word, for real this time. Strangely, it didn’t scare her as it had with Brad. She wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable with Connor. She trusted him with her heart. Time would tell. 

Connor wore a thoughtful expression when he emerged from the bathroom, dressed in one of his white shirts, jeans hugging his hips in that way that Marie always admired. When he saw she was awake, he spoke up. 

“I think I know why you were assigned my case.”

She raised her eyebrows. She’d completely forgotten about that. “Oh?”

“I still don’t know if I believe that I was always intended to deviate, but if I was…it makes sense to assign me to someone who was known for treating androids as people. They must have known that you wouldn’t talk to me like a machine.”

Marie accepted the knowledge, propping her head up under one arm. It made sense, alright. A worrying amount of sense. “Clarice was one of the only other people in the office who used male and female pronouns for androids. That must be why she was an option as well. Damn. I think you’re right.” 

He didn’t look happy about it. In fact, his brow was furrowed, a sense of frustration hanging about him like a storm cloud. “I’ve accepted that I may never know the truth about CyberLife’s motives, but…I don’t like not knowing.” 

“I know,” she said sympathetically. “It must be annoying, especially to a detective. Finding answers is what you do.” 

He sighed, then straightened up. “At least I know that whatever their plan was, it failed. That…helps.” 

“Yes.” She sat up and swung her legs off the bed, hiding a yawn with the back of her hand. “ _Return of the King_ tonight?” she asked. 

His expression softened. “Of course. I need to know how it ends.” 

She grinned, getting to her feet. “What do you want to do today?” 

“I don’t know. Do you have any ideas?” 

“Not really. We can talk to Hank in a bit and see if he has plans.”

Connor nodded his agreement, and Marie gathered up some clothes and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. After a quick breakfast, they headed to Hank’s room, finding him enjoying what looked like his second coffee of the morning. Sumo got up to greet them, and Marie petted him before surrendering him to Connor. 

“So,” Hank said, eyeing them both, “Thanksgiving tomorrow. Got plans?”

Connor and Marie exchanged a glance. 

“Uh, no,” Marie said with a shrug. “It’s not a thing in the UK, and I’ve never really celebrated it since being here.” 

Hank looked at her with raised brows. “So it’s basically the first one for both of you? Okay, that settles it. We’re going over to the bar tomorrow. Bobby and Suzy are serving roast dinners.”

“I don’t know how I would hide the fact that I don’t eat for an entire dinner, Hank,” Connor said, looking a touch worried. 

“We’ll ask Chris and Grace along too,” Hank said. “Between us, we should be able to pull it off. The bar will be busy anyway, nobody will care what we’re doing.”

Marie smiled. She hadn’t seen Hank so enthusiastic about anything. In his own way, of course. He was hardly jumping out of his seat with excitement, but his eyes were bright, and the fact he wasn’t backing down told her that he was keen on the idea. Connor noticed it too, giving in with a smile and a nod. 

“Okay,” he said, scratching Sumo’s head. 

Hank looked pleased, taking a swig of his coffee. For all that Connor had worried, Hank hadn’t gotten drunk since they’d been in Ann Arbor. He didn’t even seem to miss it, which was good. She was glad. She liked the grumpy police officer, and she didn’t want to see him fall into self-destructive behaviour. The fact that he was enthusiastic about an idea was a good sign that he was moving past it. She didn’t know if he or Connor would ever acknowledge the very clear father-son bond they seemed to have, but it was evident to her. Connor would never replace Hank’s son, nor would he want to, but there was a chance for Hank to have that experience again, in a different way. 

After checking what Hank’s plans for the day were, it was decided that he and Connor would drive into town to buy presents for Bobby and Suzy as thanks for the reduced rates they were charging for the rooms and the bar food. Marie wasn’t entirely sure if Thanksgiving was a gift-giving holiday, but she agreed it would be a nice gesture regardless. She stayed behind to put the dinner idea to Grace and Chris, then went back to her room to grab the stuff that needed washing. Down in the laundry room, she settled in one of the plastic chairs to look at her job searches while she waited for the cycle to end. 

Hank had left Sumo with her, and it was nice to have the company while she read. She wasn’t sure if dogs were allowed in the laundry room, but nobody shooed them out. When everything was dry, she folded it neatly and took it back to her room. After fixing herself and Sumo some lunch, she took him out for a walk. The lead was a formality, really. If he tried to run from her, there was no way she’d be able to stop him. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to want to, and they had a pleasant trek around the park. 

He settled down for a nap when they got back, and embarrassingly, so did she. Connor found them like that when he returned; Marie stretched out on the sofa, Sumo on the floor beside her. She woke when she heard the door open, blinking sleepily at him. 

He seemed entertained by the sight, and told her about the trip to town while she came to full alertness. He petted Sumo while he talked, making sure the dog had plenty of fuss before returning him to Hank. 

The afternoon was a lazy one. Connor agreed to sit for another sketch, and they chatted while Marie worked, pausing occasionally when she needed him to be still. 

“You’re a good subject,” she told him. 

“You’re biased,” he replied validly. 

The sketch went up on the wall next to the other one. 

“You should let me draw you,” Connor suggested. 

“ _Can_ you draw?” Marie asked him. 

“I was never programmed to, but…maybe.” 

Intrigued, Marie handed over her sketch book and pencils. “Go for it.” 

She sat as still as she could, enjoying the look of concentration on his face as he worked. After half an hour or so, he showed her the page. It was a perfect likeness, rendered in neat, even pencil strokes. Although it was obviously flawless, there was still something quite individual about it. It was methodical and meticulous, not unlike Connor himself, and she beamed at it. 

“Wow, that’s insane.” 

“It’s too generic, right?” he said, frowning down at it. “Isn’t art about expression?”

“You _are_ expressing yourself,” Marie argued. “And it’s great! I’m putting it up with the others.”

After Marie had eaten dinner, they settled down to watch _Return of the King_ , this time making camp on the bed. Cuddling on the sofa was nice, but she decided it was better if she could see his face sometimes. There were some moments in the third movie that she wanted to see his reaction to. That was almost as entertaining to her as the film itself. 

He enjoyed it, even appearing to tense up at a few scenes. He smiled when Arwen and Aragorn were reunited at the end, but became pensive watching Frodo’s farewell to his friends. Afterwards, they discussed it, and he shared his feelings on it. 

“It’s…difficult for me to relate to Frodo,” he admitted. “I can’t imagine surviving everything he went through. I’m not surprised he had to go to the Grey Havens.”

“Same. I love that smile he gives at the end, though,” Marie said. “It’s so perfect. Kind of a ‘you’ll be fine without me, and I’ll be happy’ sort of smile.” 

“Yes, that was very moving,” he said. A brief frown crossed his face as the words were out of his mouth, but he quickly moved past it. “Aragorn is still my favourite character. He had to discover who he really was as he went through his journey. I can empathise with that.”

“There are so many great characters. I’d have to put Éowyn, Faramir and Sam as my top three.” She intended to elaborate on her choices, but yawned widely instead. “Ugh, why am I so tired, I’ve barely done anything today.” 

“You need sleep.”

“I shouldn’t, though!”

He raised an eyebrow. “But you do.” 

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and traipsed to the bathroom to get ready for bed. For the third night in a row, she drifted off in his arms, knowing she could get used to it very easily. 

~ * ~

Marie dug out her green dress for the Thanksgiving dinner, even slipping on a pair of heeled ankle boots, as the snow had long since melted. It wasn’t a formal outfit, but she felt a little fancier than usual, and it felt nice to make an effort. It was nice, too, to have somewhere to wear it that wouldn’t be a disastrous date. Paired with Connor in his black shirt, she had to admit that they looked good together. She made sure to snap a few pictures before they left the room, planning to drop more hints to her parents with them. Her favourite one – one she wasn’t sure if she would send – was when he’d unexpectedly kissed her on the cheek and she’d laughed. She was considering getting that one printed and framed.

She also made sure to get other shots during the meal; some of herself and Grace, Grace, Chris and Jacob being cute together, one of Hank and Connor where Hank looked purposely grumpy, then another when she’d caught him smiling, and one of Hank and Bobby putting the world to rights. Their party occupied the largest table in the bar, which was full of other motel guests also trying to have the best Thanksgiving they could under the circumstances. Bobby kept getting up to help Suzy with orders, but he managed to spend quite a bit of time with them. 

The food on Connor’s plate got moved to everyone else’s whenever Bobby was gone, and they all shared in creating the illusion. The dinner was delicious after so many microwave meals, and Marie enjoyed it thoroughly. It had been a long time since she’d had proper roast turkey. Of course, there was pumpkin pie for dessert, which she somehow made room for, despite already feeling full, although she had to decline any of Connor’s slice. When everyone was done, Bobby suggested they go around the table and state what they were thankful for. 

“Hank, you go first,” he suggested with a wide smile, swigging his beer. 

Hank was leaning back in his seat with folded arms, and he accepted the responsibility with a thoughtful look. “I’m thankful for getting a new outlook on life,” he said seriously. “I feel like I know who I am again.”

Marie saw Connor look down at his plate, seemingly trying to hide how moved he was at the words. He knew they were about him, even if Bobby did not. 

“Your turn,” she whispered. 

He glanced up. “I’m thankful for the people in my life who accept me for who I am. They’ve taught me what it is to really live.” 

Marie smiled, squeezing his hand under the table. For her turn, she said, “I’m thankful for new friends.” She smiled briefly at Hank, Grace and Chris, then glanced at Connor. “And older ones that became something more, against all the odds.” 

“I’m thankful for a hassle-free birth,” Grace spoke up next. “And a wonderful husband who didn’t leave my side throughout. Jacob’s thankful for this pumpkin onesie!” 

They all laughed, glancing at the baby in his orange fleecy outfit, which had apparently been sent to him by one of his grandmothers for Halloween. 

“I’m thankful for my family,” Chris said, smiling at Grace. “And for Markus, who showed me compassion when I’d hurt his people because I didn’t understand. I’m thankful for the chance to make up for what I did.” 

Marie took in his troubled expression, watching Grace rub his back soothingly. She knew there were probably a lot of people in the same situation, who’d shot androids while following orders, not yet realising or accepting that they were people too. 

“Well, you’ve all left a tough act to follow,” Bobby said, “but…I’m thankful for my daughter, who makes me proud every day. And for getting the chance to catch up with an old friend.”

Hank saluted him with his beer bottle, his first one of the evening, which he was making last. “We’re also thankful for you, for giving us a place to stay until we can go back home. Now, let’s move past this sappy stuff and talk about something else.”

Everyone laughed, and Grace suddenly sat up straight, eyes wide with excitement. 

“Oh my god, I love this song! Chris, come and dance with me!”

Chris glanced around. “Uh…here? No one else is dancing.”

Grace wrinkled her nose. “Who cares? Dance with your wife!” 

Shrugging, Chris got to his feet, handing Jacob over to Hank, who accepted him without complaint, even though Jacob just stared at him with saucer-like eyes. 

“I know,” Hank said to him. “The beard is weird, huh? Wait til you start shaving, then you might decide to grow one too.” 

Jacob decided that that was hilarious, and broke out into giggles. 

Marie smiled, watching Chris and Grace enjoy the song, which was a slow jazzy number that she didn’t recognise. Seeing them, Suzy turned the volume up a little, and Grace sent her a thumbs up. Soon, other couples got up from their tables to join in, and an impromptu dance floor formed in front of the bar. 

“This place always surprises me,” Bobby commented. “Gotta love it.” 

“It’s better than a fight, that’s for sure,” Hank said, bouncing Jacob on his knee. “Right, little man? Fighting is bad. Remember that. It’ll be important later.” 

“Do you want to dance?” Connor asked.

Marie glanced at him, surprised. “Do you even know how to?”

He eyed the slow sway that Grace and Chris were doing, and said dryly, “It doesn’t look very complicated.” 

She smiled, nodding. “Sure. I’d love to.”

Taking his hand, she stood up and followed him to a space. He wrapped one arm around her waist, keeping hold of her hand with the other, and she lifted hers to his shoulder. It wasn’t really dancing per se, just stepping and swaying in time to the music, but it was nice regardless, especially as it was so unexpected. 

“Dancing used to be a traditional part of courtship,” Connor spoke up. 

“Yes. It still is sometimes. If you’re dancing with someone you like, if you’re not together yet, it can be a good excuse to be close.” 

He nodded. “I can see that.” 

He let go of her hand, dropping his to her waist to pull her closer, and she looped both arms around his neck, pressing her forehead to his. 

“I’m really glad I met you, Connor,” she said softly. 

“I am too. I…could not imagine a life without you in it.”

The words touched her, but also left her troubled. One day, a life without her in it would be exactly what he’d have to face. 

He drew back a little so he could see her expression, eyes perceptive as always. “Marie. Don’t worry about what you can’t control. There’s a lot we can accomplish before we need to think about that.” 

She nodded, knowing he was right, and she really didn’t want to spoil such a lovely day. It was better to try and live in the moment. She wanted to kiss him, but was mindful of how many people there were around them. Besides, she suspected that if she started, she’d never want to stop. Instead, she leaned her head on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the rest of the song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The photo that Marie likes where Connor is kissing her cheek was inspired by this one of Bryan and Amelia. It's cuteness overload!   
> https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dg9Gfz9UcAEe1HH?format=jpg&name=360x360


	22. The Interface

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relating to the conversation that occurs at the beginning here, I think we would all love to see Connor interrogate Marie's ex.

**Chapter Twenty-Two – The Interface.**

When the song ended, they all returned to their seats, although a few people stayed up to dance to the next one. Chris and Grace left shortly afterward, needing to get Jacob to bed. Marie was surprised when Connor spoke up less than an hour later, pleading tiredness and saying they should go too. Since Hank and Bobby were deep in the middle of a political discussion, neither seemed likely to wrap up the evening any time soon. They were ordering more drinks as Connor and Marie put their coats on. Marie was glad to note that Hank had ordered a soda. 

“Is everything okay?” she asked Connor when they got outside.

“Yes. I just wanted some time alone.”

She smiled at the simple admission. 

“Which of your photos will you send to your mom?” Connor asked as they crossed the empty road. 

“I don’t know. Part of me wants to send the cheek-kissing one because I really like it, but…I don’t know. Might be too soon.” 

“You could always video call,” he suggested. “I could do it in person.”

Marie laughed. “You’d blow her mind. I haven’t even so much as mentioned dating since Brad.” 

He grew sombre. “I was angry when you first told me about him, although my program shut it down right away. But now…the thought of what he did to you…I feel…so mad, it feels like I could burst out of my skin.”

She reached for his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay. I survived. And he’s gone. I never have to see him again. Which is good news for him, because Tanya and I have several things we’d like to say.” 

“So do I, and I’m trained in interrogation techniques.” 

She flashed him a grin. “Oh, that would almost be _too_ fun.” 

She clicked on the bedside light as soon as Connor unlocked the door to their room, and immediately kicked her boots off. Deciding to get comfortable, she went through her bedtime routine, eventually heading back out when she’d pulled on the oversized t-shirt she wore for sleeping. Connor had ditched his shoes, belt and shirt, and was sitting on the end of the bed, casual in his black t-shirt and jeans. His expression was contemplative, and she watched it shift to resolved as he reached out a hand. 

Puzzled but smiling, she walked over and took it. He drew her nearer until she was standing between his legs, and she lifted her free hand to the back of his head, running her fingers through the soft, short hairs there. His hand rested on her waist, warm through the soft cotton of her shirt.

“You okay?” she asked. 

He nodded. “I had a good time tonight. It gave me a sense of what it must be like…to have a family. I feel very fortunate in my friends.”

Moved, Marie couldn’t think of anything to say to that. He caught her off guard sometimes, the way he would say things so matter-of-factly and all but break her heart in doing so. But he had a family now; she as significant other, Hank as best friend and father figure. She smiled at him, and bent to plant a kiss on the freckles on the bridge of his nose. She had every tiny detail of his synthetic skin memorised, and she often had the whim to kiss the ones she found most endearing. 

“I had a good time too,” she said at length, straightening up again. “It was nice of Hank to share Thanksgiving with us.”

“Yes,” he agreed, although he still looked pensive. “Maybe it’s just because I spent so much time restricted by my programming, but…I don’t think I would want to only express gratitude once a year. Not when I could do it whenever I liked.”

Marie smiled. “I don’t think it’s as rigid as all that. But there’s nothing stopping you from expressing gratitude whenever you want, in any case.” 

“That’s true. And again, I’m probably looking at this from the perspective of someone relatively new to freedom, but there is so much that I’m thankful for. And I feel that every day.”

She squeezed his hand. “That’s good. That means you appreciate what you have. That’s the key to being truly happy, I think.” 

He met her gaze, expression earnest. “Are you happy?”

That he would seek reassurance did not surprise her, not when everything was so new to him. She answered him in complete honesty. 

“Yes, very. These past few days with you have been amazing. Especially when I never expected…” She trailed off, choosing to leave the past in the past. When she considered the odds, it was incredible that they’d ended up where they were. If she hadn’t been assigned his case, if she hadn’t somehow seen him as more than his programming, if he hadn’t been able to break through it, if he hadn’t survived his infiltration of CyberLife, if, if, if. It could drive her insane if she let it. 

Connor stood up, making her take half a step backwards, and let go of her hand, bringing his up to her neck, his thumb ghosting across the line of her jaw. He had his back to the lamp, and his face was in shadow, but even still she could see the sudden intensity in his dark eyes, the sense of purpose. Her heart turned a little somersault in response. Without saying a word, he leaned in to kiss her, each press of his lips a little more urgent than the last. His hand cradling her face ensured that she was angled where he wanted her, and she felt him crowd her senses. With anyone else she might have felt smothered by such all-consuming feelings, but she didn’t. She just felt overwhelmed in the best possible way, knowing he was her lifeline as well as her tempest. It was difficult to remember to breathe when he was so intense, and after a while Marie had to break away to catch her breath. Connor wasn’t deterred, simply moving his attentions to her neck instead. 

Marie gasped as his hand sank into her hair, nails lightly grazing her scalp. The hand on her waist vanished, and she felt it brush her bare thigh before slipping under her t-shirt, settling back on the curve of her hip. Her body gave a little jolt, feeling his touch against her skin, but it also brought her back to alertness. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, hearing the unusually breathy quality to her voice.

“I want to be with you,” he said. 

It was a vague phrase, but she grasped his meaning. Fighting through the fog of desire, she shook her head, and his hand withdrew at once. “No. No, we…we don’t have to do that. It wouldn’t be fair.”

He tilted his head, looking at her with a faint frown. “Fair?”

“Yes, you…you can’t…”

“No,” he agreed, “not in _that_ way. But there are other things we can do.” 

She was tempted, _so_ very tempted, but she stood by her point. “No, I don’t just mean…” She trailed off, still unsure how to refer to the details of his anatomy, how it differed from a human man. “You wouldn’t feel it,” she went on. “I would want us both to…”

“That’s not possible,” he said gently. “I can’t feel pain or pleasure, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it.” 

Marie glanced at him quizzically. “What do you mean?” 

“I get a lot of satisfaction from discovering what your skin feels like.” His fingertips lightly drifted up her arm, raising gooseflesh. “I want to know how _all_ of your skin feels,” he murmured. “But mostly I enjoy the emotional responses. I like the way you gasp when I kiss your neck. I feel proud knowing that I elicited that reaction from you.” He met her gaze, the bluntness of his next words shooting straight to the ache between her legs. “I want to know what other sounds you make.” 

Marie felt herself blush, knowing that he was monitoring her racing heartbeat. He was making a convincing argument, and he knew it. 

“Jesus, Connor,” she muttered. 

“I love that you care so much,” he said, drawing closer and dropping little feather-light kisses across her cheeks. “But please…let me do this. I want it too. I promise you.” 

She didn’t know if it was his words that did it, or perhaps the look in his eyes, or perhaps the fact that he’d been winding her up for days – unknowingly or not – but her flimsy resolve shattered, and she kissed him hard. His hand ventured back under her shirt, palm splayed across the small of her back as he pulled her against him. She retaliated in kind, needing to feel more of his skin, which was smooth under her hands, just that tell-tale few degrees cooler than her own. 

His hand drifted across her ribs, further up until his thumb caressed the underside of her breast with the lightest, most infuriating touch. He broke away from her to ask the question, just two words.

“May I?”

“Yes,” she said at once. “Please.” 

Experimentally, he cupped her breast, face a picture of intrigue and concentration that she found incredibly endearing. Marie didn’t have a whole lot in the breast department. Brad had made her self-conscious of that, and although she did not feel bad enough to apologise for her appearance, she was still very aware of it. Connor’s obvious delight in his exploration did a lot to undo Brad’s negativity. He brushed the pad of his thumb across her nipple, and she gave a little intake of breath. Encouraged, he did it again, this time with a soft scrape of his fingernail. 

Her reactions drew a small, lopsided smile to his face, and his other hand dropped to her waist, sliding up. Instead of stopping at her breasts, however, both hands kept moving, taking her shirt with them. Marie raised her arms, letting him pull it up and over her head. It fell on the floor somewhere, immediately forgotten. The expression of wonder on his face was intensely flattering, and she felt both shy and emboldened under it. 

“Your turn,” she said, taking hold of the hem of his t-shirt. 

With help, she tugged it off him, admiring the expanse of pale skin she uncovered. He was lean, skin dotted with more tiny moles across lightly-defined muscles. There was no body hair, and she wondered if that was standard for androids or something unique to him. She ran her hands over him, pushing back the little sting of regret that she wouldn’t tease any reactions out of him the way he did her. 

“You…you’re just…wow,” she said articulately, mentally sending all the praise in the world to whoever had designed him. 

“I was just thinking the same about you,” he replied smoothly, palms gliding over her skin, causing little jolts of sensation every time he found somewhere responsive. 

She couldn’t help giggling at the words, reaching up to cup his cheek. He turned his head, leaning into her touch and kissing the inside of her wrist. Marie hadn’t even known that she was sensitive there, so her sharp inhale was a surprise to both of them. Seizing on the reaction, Connor tentatively licked at her skin, and she shivered. 

Encouraged, he bent to take one of her nipples in his mouth, and she arched against him, bracing her hands on his shoulders. She could feel how embarrassingly wet she was, and her clit was so desperate for attention it was almost painful. She wanted him to explore at his own pace, though, and she was determined to let him, however torturous it was. Biting her lip, she pressed her legs together, seeking any small sense of relief. 

He gently knocked them apart with one socked foot, and she almost whimpered. His multiple sources of information had given him the best instincts in the world, and he was already learning so much about her body and what it responded to. He released her nipple with a quiet pop, shifting his weight as he leaned one leg forward, nudging it between hers. With hands firm on her hips, he pulled her towards him, his thigh pressing against her sex. Marie let out a soft, needy little groan, and immediately hid her face in his shoulder, her cheeks burning. 

“Don’t,” he said at once, turning his head so that he was speaking into her hair. “Don’t hide from me. I want to see you. I want to _hear_ you.” 

“I know, just…just give me a minute.” 

The combination of his actions, what he was saying, and the proximity of his deceptively soft voice was making it difficult for her to think straight. She pressed her lips to his neck, as she’d wanted to do pretty much the moment she’d seen him with his collar buttons undone. It was self-indulgent considering that he wouldn’t feel it – not in the way that she would have liked, anyway – but she couldn’t help herself. She wanted to grind down on his thigh, but his grip on her hips wouldn’t let her. 

“Are you…are you doing this on purpose?” she asked, drawing her head back. 

His smile was delightfully wicked, and he moved her backwards, straightening up. “It’s probable.” 

“You utter–”

But Connor would never get to find out what she was about to call him, as his hand slipping into her underwear shoved the words right out of her head. His fingers slid through her wet folds, and it felt so good she forgot to be embarrassed that his effect on her was so evident. God, how long had she imagined having his hands on her? Longer than she cared to admit. He probably had no idea how distracting he’d been with all those physics-defying coin tricks, showing off his dexterity. 

All too soon, he pulled away, but her protest died in her throat as she watched him bring his fingers to his mouth and touch his tongue to them. The way his eyes were locked on her face told her that he’d noticed her reaction when he’d done that before, innocently, with her cappuccino. She was so fixated on him, she didn’t even have the mental capacity to ponder him having that knowledge all this time. Very deliberately, he drew his fingers into his mouth and licked them clean. 

“Holy fuck,” Marie said hoarsely. 

Connor smirked, pulling them out. “I haven’t heard you swear before.” 

“I don’t do it often.” 

“I liked it.” 

He kissed her, and she tasted herself on his lips. She felt him move her backwards, and her legs hit the bed. He eased her down without breaking the kiss, and somehow they managed to manoeuvre the whole way up until her head found a pillow, and he settled on top of her. Marie wrapped her legs around his waist, relishing the weight of him. He was a little lighter than he would have been had he been made of muscle and sinew, and she did not feel smothered at all. The fold of the zipper on his jeans pressed against her in a surprisingly pleasant way, although she could feel the emptiness behind it, the evidence of what he was. 

He reached a hand down, sliding it back into her underwear, which she was beginning to wish was a little more interesting than the faded cotton panties she preferred day to day. Not that he cared, of course, but still. She lowered a leg to grant him better access, running her hands across his back, marvelling at the illusion of muscle and bone beneath his skin. 

Connor propped himself up on an elbow so he could see her face, and she tried not to be self-conscious under his intense scrutiny. Hiding was instinctive, difficult to ignore, but the expression of fondness, delight, and fascination he wore made it easier to combat. As his exploration went on, he was just as interesting to her as she was to him. 

His fingers brushed lightly over her clit, and he watched her reactions closely, learning her with the utmost dedication. Marie couldn’t help him with words. The relief that he was finally touching her coupled with the torture of his teasing left her speechless. He slid lower, letting one, then two fingers slowly slip inside her. She sighed, feeling her inner walls flutter around his fingers. 

Just as slowly, he pulled them out, and she gripped at his shoulders in a silent plea for mercy. He pushed himself up onto his knees, reached for the waistband of her underwear and tugged them down her legs. They too vanished into the realm of the unimportant on the floor. Connor did not seem inclined to remove any more of his own clothing, and she didn’t pressure him. She wanted to see him sometime, but she would be patient until he felt comfortable. Besides, the shirtless-in-jeans look was working _really_ well for him. 

His gaze roamed over her, and she tried to temper her frustration and let him look. In the warm, cosy light of the bedside lamp, they were both painted gold, the shadows of the room creating a stark backdrop. He looked like a sculpture, some Greek god, perhaps. She smiled at her observation, reaching up to him. He pressed his hand to hers, and she felt a faint tingle ripple across her palm as his synthetic skin melted away, revealing the white plastic shell underneath. Marie gasped, and Connor, too, looked surprised. The change only went as far as his elbow, but he still seemed a little uneasy. Neither of them pulled away, though, too entranced by the blue shimmer that was emanating from Connor’s palm, gently warming hers. 

“I…I can’t control it,” he realised, sounding intrigued. “I’ve heard about this, but only between two androids.”

Marie nodded, marvelling at the smooth texture of his hand. “I’ve seen it before, between Markus and North. What is it exactly?”

“It’s a means of interfacing. Usually just as an exchange of information, but between deviants it can also be a sign of affection and intimacy. They could share the way they were feeling, memories, emotions.”

“But…you can’t do that with me,” Marie pointed out unnecessarily. 

“No,” Connor agreed. “But maybe it’s instinctive.” 

“What if it happens in public?” she asked, frowning. That would certainly blow his cover as a human. 

He sent her a reassuring smile. “I don’t think it would occur outside of an intimate moment like this.” 

He broke the contact, and his skin reformed. Taking hold of her hand, he kissed her palm, then the inside of her wrist. The attention given to that newly-discovered sensitive spot had her squirming, and he watched her reaction with keen eyes. 

“Get down here,” she ordered him. 

He smirked, but obeyed, easing down between her legs, propped on one elbow but close enough to kiss. His tongue parted her lips as his fingers did the same below, and she all but sighed into his mouth. Her hands ran across his skin, over his back, gripping his arm as his thumb grazed her clit. His fingers slid back inside her, lingering there for a torturous few seconds before he began to move. The pace was slow, experimental, and she lifted her hips, needing more. Connor took the hint, pumping a little faster, and she gasped, suddenly in need of air. 

He shifted, dragging his lips down her neck, revisiting all the places he’d discovered to be responsive earlier. Marie arched her back, her hand finding its way into his hair. Her movement pushed his fingers to greater depths, and he crooked them slightly, rubbing against a spot deep inside her that she’d been sure was fictional. His thumb continued to trace circles around and against her clit, and the combined sensation was absolute perfection and almost too much, all at once. 

He drew back to look at her, and she was thankfully too desperate for release to feel self-conscious under his scrutiny. His expression was one she needed to try and remember: a mixture of endearing awe and a kind of determination that left her breathless. Belatedly she remembered how task-focused he could be. Right now her body was the puzzle he was intent on solving, and he wouldn’t give up until he had found the solution. 

She was breathing heavier now, feeling the familiar build-up of tension deep in the pit of her stomach. His simulated breathing had become faster too, although she didn’t know if it was an act for her benefit, or something he instinctively felt compelled to do. She hoped it was the latter. 

He seemed to sense she was close, and moved his thumb just a touch faster and harder against her. Marie shuddered, gasping as her climax hit her hard, rolling over her in waves of pleasure. Adrift, she clung to him, and a breathless cry tore from her. 

“Agh! Fuck!” 

His hand kept moving, teasing out every last tremble until she was still, panting. Gently, he eased out of her, running his hand along her thigh. 

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly. 

Marie opened her eyes, capturing his lips in a chaste, heartfelt kiss. “I’m good,” she said, once she felt able to speak. “I’m great, actually. How are you?”

He smiled, lying beside her and pulling her into his arms. “I’m good too. Was that…satisfactory?” 

She bit back a laugh at his phrasing. “Yes, very. Thank you. How was it for you?” 

“Amazing,” he said sincerely. “The way you feel when I’m inside you…I had no idea. And the way you looked when you–”

“Oh god,” she cut in, biting her lip. 

He brushed some of her hair back. “You looked beautiful,” he said. “You _are_ beautiful. And I like that I’m the one to make you swear.”

She did laugh at that, cupping his cheek. “You’re the only one who ever has.”

“Really? Not even…?”

Marie shook her head, glad he hadn’t mentioned the name. The moment did not deserve to be tainted by the names of douchebags. 

“No, I’ve always been quiet. Something about you really affects me, Connor. It’s…it’s pretty crazy how attracted to you I am.” 

“I like that you are,” he said fiercely. 

She smiled, kissing him again, restricting herself to just one before pulling away. 

“I’m going to go and clean up a bit,” she said, shifting off the bed. When she was standing upright, she noticed the damp spot she’d left on his jeans and blushed. “Shit, sorry.”

“I have another pair,” he said with a shrug. 

Marie nodded, fleeing to the bathroom. When she was done, she returned to the room, feeling cold and a little vulnerable. It had been a long time since she’d walked around naked with another person present. Connor had opted to get under the covers for once, and she smiled, her apprehension vanishing under his admiring gaze. She slipped in beside him, immediately finding her place in his arms again. She tangled a leg with his, a little surprised to feel bare skin. He’d ditched the jeans. That made sense. Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed contentedly. Marie reached up to the light switch, clicking them into darkness, and pressed a kiss to his chest. 

“Happy Thanksgiving, Connor.”

“Happy Thanksgiving. Sleep well.”

“I’m pretty sure I will.” 

~ * ~

Marie woke to find herself wrapped in Connor’s arms as usual, but this time she could feel his bare chest against her back, and she relished the feeling of her skin against his. She shifted onto her back, and he propped himself up on an elbow, his hand coming to rest on her hip. 

“Morning,” he greeted her. 

“Morning. Did you rest well?”

“I did,” he said with a little smile. “Did you?”

Marie nodded, stretching. “Mm. Definitely.” 

He looked pleased, lazily trailing his fingers across her skin, over the planes of her stomach, up between her breasts and back down. He left goosebumps in his wake, and she felt her senses stir, her body already more awake than she was. He seemed endlessly fascinated with the different ways he could get her to respond to his touch, and it was both cute and incredibly hot. Underlying all of her more shallow reactions, Marie was simply grateful to have evidence that he’d been telling the truth: he _did_ enjoy it, even if it wasn’t in the same way she did. 

His fingertips brushed over the birthmark on her side, a small light-brown stain that looked a little like a wonky diamond. 

“I didn’t see this last night,” he said. 

“You’re not missing much. It’s just…there.” 

Connor shifted down the bed slightly, pressing his lips to it. Already hyper-sensitive from his light touches, she shivered at the contact. Encouraged, he dropped more kisses across her ribs, between but strategically not _on_ her breasts, then down over her stomach. He dipped his tongue into her navel, and she let out a yelp, batting him away with her hand. He laughed. 

“Too ticklish for that,” she told him. 

“Then I promise I won’t do it again. Although your reaction was…entertaining.”

“I’m so glad,” she said dryly. 

He continued exploring, pulling the covers with him the further down her body he travelled. She didn’t mind, already starting to feel her nerve endings ignite with every press of his mouth. His wandering took him over her left hip, down to her thigh, then he moved away. Marie bit her tongue against a whimper, propping her head up on her arm. He did the same down her right side, gently biting the flesh of her thigh. 

“Holy…! Connor!” 

“Just Connor will do,” he quipped, smirking when she glared at him. 

He sat up on his knees, settling between her legs. She watched him, fairly sure she knew where this was going, and faintly trembling with anticipation. With gentle thumbs, he parted her folds, and she felt the air hit her damp, sensitive flesh. He studied her with almost scientific interest, then ran a finger through the wetness there, slipping inside but only to the first knuckle. 

“You are…such a goddamn _tease_ ,” she accused, fidgeting a little. 

He smiled, and did not deny it. 

With catlike grace, he moved backward off the bed, standing upright on the floor. Half the covers went with him, and Marie found herself completely exposed under his gaze in broad daylight. Before she could decide how she felt about that, he grabbed her hips and pulled her down the mattress towards him. She let out an exclamation of surprise, but laughed. Connor settled on his knees on the floor, drawing her closer still, bringing one of her legs over his shoulder. Turning his head, he kissed the place he’d nibbled earlier on her thigh. 

To have his mouth so close to where she needed it, yet not close enough, was torture, and she creased the bedsheets in her fists. He’d teased her last night, licking her juices off his fingers just to get a reaction out of her, and now he was making her wait. It was grossly unfair. 

“Connor, _please_.” She barely recognised the breathless plea as her own voice, but she was too desperate to feel embarrassed. 

He seemed very intrigued by her tone, and she could have sworn he was debating sassing her. Fortunately, he appeared to decide against it, and his thumbs once more opened her up to his gaze. His tongue was wet and warm, and when it finally circled her clit, she almost wept with relief. His movements were still very exploratory, but he’d learned what she liked from his fingers and put it into practice with his mouth. He tried other things too, taking note of her responses every time. 

She felt his fingers slide inside her, and he matched his rhythm to every sweep of his tongue, varying the speed of both until she was practically writhing beneath him. He slung his arm across her hips, holding her still, and she found she quite enjoyed the small display of dominance. She hadn’t known that was her thing at all, but then she’d never trusted a lover to the extent she trusted Connor. 

Of course, he didn’t get tired or sore, didn’t need to come up for air, and he was utterly unrelenting. Marie felt herself teetering on the edge of climax for an impossibly long time, as he brought her closer, then drifted away, again and again until she lost all coherent thought. She needed release, and yet she never wanted it to end. She felt flushed, feverish, her body clammy with sweat, her hands aching with how tightly she’d clenched her fists. 

She was just beginning to think that she couldn’t take much more, when he suddenly quickened the pace of his fingers. His mouth closed over her, sucking on her clit, and Marie snapped in half. His arm held her down as she shook, her back arching up off the mattress. She heard her own strangled cry of pleasure, far in the distance, muffled by the blood rushing in her ears. There were white-hot sparks behind her eyelids, and her body trembled, shuddering uncontrollably as she peaked. He didn’t stop what he was doing, although he mercifully slowed, drawing out her pleasure for as long as possible. Breathing heavily, she lay still, feeling him finally withdraw. 

There was some rustling that she assumed was him rescuing the fallen bedcovers, then a dip in the mattress as he climbed back in. She felt him gather her in his arms and gently pull her back up to the head of the bed, and she gratefully snuggled against him. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, stroking her hair.

“Fine. Just…you know…coming down,” she mumbled. “That was incredible.” 

“Good,” he said, sounding pleased. “You should eat.”

“Later,” she said dismissively. “Just hold me for a bit.”

So he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We stan a guy who asks for consent. Also, people with vaginas, make sure you pee after sex! I really wish I'd been told that in sex ed lol.
> 
> Let me know if you think I should move the rating up to E. I always second-guess myself with stuff like that. Also, yay, we made it here!! For those who don't like the fact that Connor isn't...fully functional...currently, fret not. Their physical relationship is a work in progress.


	23. The Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going back to Detroit! It's entirely possible that we'll bump into a fan favourite character there.
> 
> At the beginning of this chapter Connor and Marie have a meaningful talk in the shower. I do not recommend this IRL. It's way too hard to make yourself heard over the noise!

**Chapter Twenty-Three – The Return.**

Marie wasn’t surprised that she’d dozed off again, but she did feel a little guilty that Connor was still there holding her when she woke up. 

“Sorry, you must have been so bored,” she said, sitting up. 

“It was only forty minutes or so,” he assured her. “I was thinking.” 

“What about?”

“Everything.” 

She sent him a smile, and checked the time on her phone. It was well into mid-morning. 

“I need to shower,” she announced. “Want to join me?”

Connor hesitated, and she thought she knew why. 

“I’m not going to think you’re incomplete, or disgusting, or whatever negative words you’re thinking right now,” she said, cupping his cheek and holding his gaze. “Nothing is going to change the way I feel about you. Okay?”

His lips twitched as if he was trying to smile, and he nodded. “Okay.” 

She jerked her head towards the bathroom. “Come on. I’m gross, and you probably have some of that grossness on you.” 

His demeanour lightened as he let her lead him by the hand across the room. “I don’t think I mind.”

“Even still.” She paused outside the door, dropping his hand. “Uh…just wait there a second while I pee?”

He nodded, looking amused. “Sure.” 

Marie set the shower running before she did anything, partly so it would warm up, partly because she was sometimes very conscious of her human needs, and didn’t always want to be overheard, even though she knew Connor didn’t care. 

When she was ready, she opened the door for him, and he came to join her. The mirror was already starting to steam, so she clicked on the extractor fan. Sending him a warm smile, she stepped into the shower, dousing herself in the soothing water and letting him take his time. She hated that he felt self-conscious about something he couldn’t help, but she supposed it was a very human way to feel. She very purposely did not watch him as he slowly tugged off his underwear, trying to put him at ease. 

“It’s…it’s okay,” he said, stepping into the glass cubicle. “I don’t mind if you look.”

Marie met his gaze, trying to pour all of her feelings into a single glance, then took in the sight of him. She was reminded, as he’d said, of the androids she’d seen without their skin, or perhaps a child’s doll of some kind. His skin was smooth between his legs, curved gently outward, as if to give a vague illusion of human anatomy when wearing underwear. It was a strange sight, she couldn’t pretend it wasn’t, but it didn’t bother her. It was him, and therefore she adored it. 

“You’re amazing,” she said honestly. “Can I…touch you?”

He nodded, but his jaw was a little tensed. Marie stepped closer to him, running her palms across his chest before letting one drift lower. She caressed him, that strange smoothness feeling soft but firm under her hand. Of course, he didn’t react, other than to relax his shoulders when she didn’t run screaming. Sensing the need for levity, she reached around to gently squeeze his buttocks. 

“Damn, I knew you’d have a great arse,” she said. 

As she’d hoped, he smiled, almost laughing. “I’m pretty fond of yours too.” 

She grinned at him. “Good.” 

He reached up to brush the backs of his knuckles across her jaw, expression sober once more. “I’m sorry if you’re…disappointed.” 

She covered his hand with her own, pondering the right words. She was determined to be honest with him, but she didn’t want him to misinterpret it. 

“I’m not,” she began. “Nothing we’ve done either this morning or last night has been the least bit disappointing. If you couldn’t tell.”

One corner of his lips curled into a wry smile. 

“I do feel a little bit…regretful…that I can’t make you feel good in the same way,” she went on, “although I do believe that you enjoy it too. It might take me a while to work past that, because…I want to be able to give as well as receive, and it’s difficult to accept that I’m not able to. But I’ll get there, I promise. I’m not disappointed in any part of you, and I doubt I ever will be. Connor, you’re… you’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever known, and I…” She halted, feeling strangely emotional. “I’m just so grateful that you…that we’re together.” 

He looked deeply moved by her speech, his dark eyes fixed intently on hers. She marvelled at the affection she could see in his gaze, how very human it was, and she felt a sense of pride at how far he’d come. 

He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her close. His skin was wet from the spray, but felt incredible against hers. When they broke apart, she squeezed some body wash onto a cloth and he let her wash him, returning the favour once she was done. He did not require shampoo, but he happily rubbed it into _her_ hair, and she closed her eyes at the unexpected scalp massage. Perceptively, he knew she would be in pain after using muscles she hadn’t used in a while, and he worked on some of the knots in her neck and back too. It left her much more relaxed, with her mind completely blown that she had somehow done something to deserve him. 

Later, when they were both dressed for the day and Marie had eaten, they headed out to the town. Marie needed a few food supplies, and Connor wanted to buy fruit for Hank, even if he never ate it. 

They met up with Hank later that evening, after the humans had had dinner, gathering in his room so they could watch the news. The talks between Markus and President Warren were due to end. Officially, they’d ended the day before Thanksgiving, but Markus and the others from Jericho had been invited to stay at the White House for the festivities, and the formal announcement was all he and Warren had left to do. 

Marie spotted the androids that Connor identified as Simon, North and Josh standing behind Markus’s podium, but the fourth was nowhere to be seen. President Warren had her vice president and several advisors backing her up. As in their address when the talks had begun, Markus and the president took turns to speak, delivering their decisions as a united front. Once again, it was stated that androids were considered intelligent life, only this time there was an official document to accompany it. With it came the news that crimes against androids were now punishable by the same laws that protected humans. Anti-android violence or harassment would be considered a hate crime. Androids could vote and own property, and although it did not look likely that they’d get a state to themselves, they would at least be able to live peacefully alongside humans. They would also be paid a fair wage for their work, which Markus and President Warren had agreed on. It would be slightly less than a human’s, only to compensate for the things that androids would not need to budget for, such as food and heating. They would be able to afford rent, vacations, and their own form of healthcare, as well as anything else they required, such as clothing, things for hobbies or food for pets. 

“Lastly,” Markus spoke up, “the city of Detroit is now open for humans who want to return or androids who want to leave. We have done our best to repair a lot of the damage caused by both sides, and we have made several changes for the sake of our people, but if you’re returning, I think you’ll find it very much as it was.”

“I look forward to visiting Detroit in a few weeks to see what changes you have made,” President Warren said, offering him a polite smile. 

“And we look forward to welcoming you, Madam President,” Markus said with a bob of his head. 

“Smooth,” Hank commented approvingly. When it became clear that the announcement was over, he clicked the TV off and looked between Connor and Marie. “So…when do you wanna go back? And more importantly, what do you wanna go back _to_?”

It was Connor who answered first. “I feel that we should return to the DPD. This period of integration will be difficult for both sides. Captain Fowler will need all the help he can get. But…I’m not sure that I want to stay there…permanently.” 

Marie glanced at him in surprise. “I thought you did.”

“I did, at first. But I’ve had time to think since then. I actually liked your idea.”

She stared at him, trying to recall what he meant. “What idea?”

“When we were in the diner back in Detroit, you suggested that Hank and I start our own private investigation company,” he said. 

Hank raised his eyebrows, looking intrigued. 

“Right,” Marie said, remembering. “I did say that.” 

Connor smiled briefly. “I think I’d like to do it. If…you agree,” he added, looking at Hank. 

The older man took a moment to consider. He seemed open to the idea. Not exactly enthusiastic, but that was just…Hank. 

“Always did wonder what it’d be like to be my own boss,” he mused. “You need money to start up a company, though. Think banks are ready to give loans to androids yet?”

“You won’t need a loan,” Marie put in. “I still have most of the money from my pay out from CyberLife.” 

“We’re not taking your money,” Connor said firmly.

She sent him a smile. “I know. I’m very fond of both of you, but not enough to gift you the contents of my bank account. I’d be investing. There’s no reason why you wouldn’t succeed. Your experience, your reputations…the first human-android police team-up. I’m pretty sure I’ll see a return on whatever I put in.” 

“That could work,” Hank said. “I got a few savings I could throw in too.”

“Where would we do this? Back in Detroit?” Marie asked. She glanced at Connor. “They have no leadership, but technically CyberLife is still there, would you feel safe?”

After a moment’s thought, he nodded. “I think so. I believe Kamski has given me the best protection he can. And CyberLife is blocked by the law now. I’m a person, they have no claim on me.” 

“True.” 

They traded thoughts back and forth, eventually coming up with a plan. They would travel back to Detroit in three days’ time, which would hopefully be long enough for the initial rush to die down. Hank and Connor would return to work at the DPD until things settled down, and Marie would find temporary work. In the meantime, they would search for an office space, look into advertising, apply for whatever permits they might need, and tie up any other loose ends they would need to look into. When they were ready, they would all quit their jobs and try and make the new venture work. 

It was exciting to suddenly have a purpose again, and Marie felt some of her concerns disappear. She hadn’t realised just how lost she’d felt losing her job, even if she’d grown to despise the company she’d worked for. Hank seemed similarly energised, and she knew he’d been starting to get bored. 

“I just hope Captain Fowler agrees to take me on,” Connor remarked. “He’ll have extra wages to pay out if the assistant androids want to return as well.” 

“Not all of them will,” Hank reassured him. “And I’ll bet some of the humans won’t either. There’ll be a place for you, don’t worry.” 

Connor smiled at him, and Hank cleared his throat. 

“You, uh…you give any thought to where you’re gonna live?”

It was immediately clear that he hadn’t. “No,” he admitted. “It might take a while to get used to the idea that I can own property.” 

“Well, you’ll always have a place at mine.” Hank shot a wry smile in Marie’s direction. “I know you might prefer other options, but…offer still stands.” 

Connor nodded, smiling again. He looked touched. “Thank you, Hank.”

“Same for me,” Marie said. “You’re always welcome, but I totally understand if you need some space sometimes. New couples don’t usually live in each other’s pockets like we’ve had to.” 

He studied her pensively, and she shot him a reassuring smile, trying to convey that she was in no way fed up with him, but merely stating the facts. 

“Thank you,” he said simply. He looked between Hank and Marie, almost as if he wanted to say more, but felt shy to speak up. Marie suspected he was still taken aback by some of his emotions, in this case, gratitude and affection. 

They decided to celebrate the decision with another movie night, and Marie went back to her room for snacks while Hank and Connor channel hopped to find one. When she returned, it was to see the opening scenes of an action movie that had come out the previous year. She didn’t think she’d seen it, and she was pleasantly surprised to find the plot much better than the last one they’d watched. 

After the credits rolled, she and Connor said goodnight and headed back to their room. She was pleased when he automatically stripped down to his underwear and got under the covers, and she found her usual spot in his arms, happily tangling her legs with his. The closeness was becoming the norm, and she’d never been so glad to fall into a routine. 

~ * ~

Three days later, they gathered in reception to pay their final bills and say goodbye to Bobby and Suzy. Hank’s car was already loaded up, and Sumo had been taken for a walk. They were ready to return to Detroit. Chris, Grace and Jacob had already gone, leaving the day after Markus’s TV appearance, and Grace had promised Marie that they would keep in touch. Of course, Chris would be going back to the DPD too, so he, Hank and Connor would see each other every day. 

Bobby seemed regretful that they had to go, but understanding. “Guess you can’t keep a police lieutenant from his calling for long,” he said, clearing Hank’s final, generously discounted payment. 

“Yeah, right,” Hank replied dryly. 

“We anticipate a lot of disorder with the human-android integration,” Connor put in, as Marie stepped up to do her own payment. “We should be there to help sort it out.” 

“It’ll be worth it, though,” Suzy spoke up. “I’m still hoping Jerry will come back and work for us, but…I guess I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t. Androids deserve a chance at happiness.”

Marie nodded in agreement as Bobby handed her bankcard over, smiling at Connor. 

“Right, let’s get on the road, kids,” Hank said, heading for the door. “Thanks again, Bobby. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s no problem,” Bobby waved off. “Come back any time if the job is stressful.” 

Hank scoffed. “If I did that, I’d practically live here. But I think things’ll settle down now. Like Suzy said, the androids just wanna be free and happy.” 

“If they’re capable of it,” Bobby said, leaning on the counter. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for equality and all that, but…I guess I’m just finding it hard to adjust to the idea of them having real feelings. I never met a deviant, so…” He shrugged. 

Hank raised an amused eyebrow, looking at Connor. Now that the laws were in place, there was nothing to stop them revealing the truth about him. They just…hadn’t, out of habit perhaps. But Marie could see – and she knew Connor could too – that Hank hadn’t enjoyed lying to his friend, even for such a good cause. 

“Actually,” Connor spoke up, meeting Hank’s gaze and seeing the reassurance there, “you have.” He peeled back the synthetic skin on his hand, winked, and stepped through the door. 

Marie stifled a giggle at Bobby and Suzy’s incredulous expressions, and followed him. Hank did the same shortly afterward, no doubt having given some word of explanation. They got into the car, Marie and Sumo in the back, Connor riding shotgun as always, and began the trip back to Detroit. 

They met more traffic the closer they got, but nothing as extreme as the night they’d left. The soldiers guarding the borders of the city were thankfully gone. The place looked relatively normal, although there were fewer people on the streets than there usually were. For the first time, Marie couldn’t be sure if the ones she could see were human or android, and the thought made her smile. Some androids were recognisable from their LEDs, but she was certain there would be others like Connor and Markus who chose to remove them. She didn’t see a single CyberLife uniform, and she was glad. 

Hank and Connor had elected to drop by the DPD before they went home, seeing as they practically had to drive past it, and Marie scrambled out of the car with them, needing to stretch her legs. Sumo could be trusted to behave in the car for a short while, and Hank cranked the window for him, despite the chill in the air. 

Connor glanced around thoughtfully before approaching a passing android. “Excuse me,” he said, and the android stopped walking. Marie recognised her as an AX400, although she was wearing normal clothes, had no visible LED, and had let down her shoulder-length brown hair. “Are you connected to the network?”

“Yes,” she said. “Why?”

“Could you please send a message to Markus? Tell him Connor is back, hopefully working for the DPD. If he needs anything, he should be able to contact me there.” 

The girl looked surprised, but nodded. “Of course.”

“Thanks.” 

After a moment, she said, “He says he’s not far away. He’ll meet you here.”

Connor tilted his head as he received the information, but nodded. “Thanks,” he said again. 

The android nodded and continued on her way. Connor headed over to where Hank was waiting, Marie following. She’d never been inside the police station before, thankfully never needing to go there. There were only two receptionists on the desk, one human, one android, but they did not look overly busy. The android smiled when they walked past her. 

“Welcome back, Lieutenant,” she said. 

“Thanks,” Hank replied. He took another two steps, then halted, turning back to her. “Hey, uh…you got a name now?”

She looked pleased to be asked. “Ruby. Captain Fowler’s getting me a new name tag.” 

“Good to meet you, Ruby. Nice to see you back.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Lieutenant.” She nodded in Connor’s direction, and he nodded back. 

They passed through the security gates next to the desk and entered a large, open office space. Marie immediately spotted Chris, although he was on the phone. He waved to them, flashing a quick smile. Aside from him and one other officer, the other desks were empty. On the back wall, she could see the parking stations for the police assistant androids. Thankfully, they were also empty. 

“Wait here,” Hank said to her. “We’ve gotta go see Fowler.” 

Marie nodded, turning and seeing the glass-walled office that displayed a stressed-looking police captain. Not wanting to disturb Chris, she wandered a little further into the paths between desks, eventually sitting on the edge of one to wait. After a moment she reconsidered, and took the chair next to it instead. Inside the office, she could see Fowler talking to Hank and Connor, although it was difficult to read his expression. She began to wish she hadn’t left her phone in the car, and she yawned, hiding it behind her hand. 

“Can I help you?”

Marie turned at the voice, seeing another officer. A high-ranking one, judging by his lack of uniform. She tried to look like she hadn’t been yawning, although she doubted she was successful.

“No,” she said, sending him a polite smile. “I’m fine, thanks.” 

“You sure?”

She eyed him. They must be having a slow day if he was pestering her so much. 

“Pretty sure, thanks,” she said. 

“Okay. Only you’re sitting at my desk.” 

Her eyes widened, and she stood up. “I’m so sorry…” She glanced down at the name placard. “…Detective Reed. I didn’t realise.” 

He cracked an amused smile. “It’s okay. You need help with something?” 

“No, I’m just waiting for Hank and Connor.”

His expression changed at once, taking on a sour look. She saw him glance back at the office, where Hank and Connor were clearly visible. “Dream team back again, huh? Figures.” 

She kept quiet, unsure what to say to someone who clearly didn’t like either of them. 

“Hey, uh…you’re human, right?” he said. “I saw you yawning.”

“I am, but what does it matter?” she asked sharply. 

He shrugged, but he looked disgruntled. “Guess it doesn’t anymore.”

She folded her arms. “No. Thankfully, we live in a better world now.” 

He glanced to the side, as if he’d wanted to roll his eyes but had decided not to in front of a civilian. “You know, I’m a qualified detective. I can help you with whatever you need just as well as Hank can.” 

Marie didn’t feel like explaining why she was there, and fortunately she didn’t have to. Hank and Connor emerged from Fowler’s office and walked down the short set of stairs, heading towards her. 

“How did it go?” she asked, stepping forward. 

“Pretty good,” Hank answered. 

“I’ve been accepted back,” Connor told her. “Complete with a wage. My programming is apparently enough to grant me the rank of detective.” 

There came a disbelieving snort from Detective Reed, and Hank looked at him with false sympathy. 

“Something on your mind, Gavin?” 

_So_ he’s _Gavin_ , Marie thought, recalling some of Hank and Connor’s anecdotes. _That explains a lot._

“Not at all,” Gavin said with heavy sarcasm. 

“I’m surprised you wanted to come back, what with so many androids here,” Hank said. 

It seemed they all expected some kind of unpleasant reaction, but all he said was, “I live here too. Think I’m just gonna give up my life because they count as people now?” 

Hank raised an eyebrow, then looked back at Connor. “I’m gonna check my messages while you wait for Markus.”

“Okay.” 

He headed off to what must be his own desk, and Marie turned to Connor. 

“When do you start?” 

“Thursday, so I have the rest of today and tomorrow to…settle, I guess.”

She nodded. “That’s good. How are you feeling about all this?” 

He took a moment to consider. “It’ll be good to get back to work,” he said. “I want a normal life.”

“It’s hard to define what normal is,” she said. “But I’m sure you’ll find your definition of it sooner or later.” 

“As long as it includes you, I don’t really care,” Connor said, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. 

She smiled, squeezing his fingers. 

There was an incredulous little noise of disgust, and they both turned to look at Gavin. Truthfully, Marie had almost forgotten he was there. 

“You wanna do that someplace else?” he said acerbically. “Like, maybe not right in front of my desk?”

Connor raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and Gavin’s scowl deepened under his gaze. 

“What?” he snapped. 

“I was just waiting to see if you were going to threaten me with violence like you usually do,” Connor said calmly. When he spoke again, his voice carried a flinty undercurrent. “Because now I’m awake, I don’t have to just stand there and take it anymore.”

“Listen, dipshit,” Gavin said, resting his palms on his desk and leaning forward. “I accept that the law says you’re alive. I accept that I have to work with you. But there’s nothing that says I have to like it. You’re still a prick, if you ask me.”

“I didn’t, but good to know,” Connor said flippantly. 

Very deliberately, he brought his hands up to Marie’s face, drew her closer and kissed her. It was a pretty innocent kiss, but the knowledge that he was doing it to mess with Gavin made her feel a little exhibitionist. She had to pull away when she felt she might giggle, and Connor looked at her in amusement. In glancing away, she caught sight of a familiar figure coming their way. 

“Markus is here,” she said, stepping back. 

Connor turned to look, and they walked a few steps to greet him. He and Connor smiled at each other, briefly gripping shoulders. 

“It’s good to see you back,” Markus said warmly. 

“Thank you.” 

“Congratulations on your talks with the president,” Marie put in. “I can’t believe what you’ve managed to achieve in such a short amount of time. It’s incredible.”

Markus nodded in acknowledgement. “It was a challenge, but we got there. There’s still work to do, but we’ve made a great start.” To Connor, he said, “I’m sorry, but I have to ask…did you manage to find a solution to…?”

“Yes, you don’t need to worry,” Connor told him. “I went to see Elijah Kamski. He purged CyberLife’s A.I. permanently from my system and set up a firewall. It should be enough to keep them out, but he advised me not to reconnect to the network just in case.”

“I’ve been talking with Kamski too,” Markus said. “He returned to his home right after the city borders opened. It’s unlikely that CyberLife will pose a threat to you anymore.”

“I know, but I would prefer to be sure.” 

“Of course. It’ll be good to have you back in the DPD. We need representatives in law enforcement.”

Connor gave a nod, but his expression was solemn. “I’ll be here for a while, but…” He lowered his voice, mindful of Gavin not far away. “It’s not the long-term plan.”

Markus looked surprised, but accepting. “Well I hope to hear about that sometime. I’m actually here to talk to Captain Fowler too. He’s agreed to accept another android, and I’m making introductions.”

“He mentioned something about that,” Connor said, brow furrowed, “but he wouldn’t go into detail.”

“I asked him not to. I thought you’d be back sometime, and I…wanted to bring up the topic with you myself. When I heard you were here, I thought now was as good a time as any. We were in the area.”

Connor tilted his head, studying him with an air of confusion. Marie looked between them, intrigued. 

“When the humans were gone, we went to the CyberLife Tower,” Markus explained. “We searched it top to bottom for any other androids we could free. The warehouses were empty, thanks to you, but I know you didn’t have time to check the assembly plant itself.”

“Did you find anyone?”

“Yes, a few janitors and reception staff, and a couple of androids that were in for repair. We also found the labs, but they were mostly only good for spare parts. The main thing to come out of it was…the RK900.”

Marie stared at him in surprise. “The what?”

Connor seemed equally stunned. “I didn’t know there _was_ an RK900.”

“He was never activated,” Markus said. “From what we could gather from his spec sheet, he was built to replace you. He had upgraded features, greater protection against deviancy.”

“So…even if I’d succeeded in stopping the revolution,” Connor said slowly, “they would have deactivated me.”

Markus sent him a sympathetic look. “I think so.” 

Marie quashed a flare of anger, trying not to think about Connor being seen as disposable. It would do no good to get worked up about it now. 

“We activated him,” Markus went on. “I was able to convert him right away, but…he’s not exactly like the other deviants.”

“What do you mean?” Connor asked. 

“I don’t know if it’s a result of CyberLife’s deviancy protection, or just because he hasn’t been activated long, but he’s still very…robotic. He has free will and he makes his own decisions, but I don’t think he really knows who he is yet.”

“Is he the first android to be deviant right from activation?” Marie asked. 

Markus nodded. “So far. I guess he has a longer path to walk towards individualism than the rest of us. But I’m certain he’ll make it.”

“And he is the other android coming here?” Connor spoke up.

“Yes. He was built to be a detective, and he doesn’t know how to do anything else. Not yet, anyway. He’ll work here until he decides if he actually _wants_ this career.” Markus locked eyes with Connor. “I wanted to tell you about him before you ran into him accidentally. I know you thought you were a unique model, but…”

“Not as unique as you might think,” Connor said, no doubt thinking of the other RK800 who’d held Hank hostage. 

“We found the spare bodies,” Markus said with a nod of acknowledgement. “They were just vessels, though, waiting for your memory. They’re in storage in case you need spare parts. But I thought you should know, Nines will…look familiar.” 

“Nines?” Marie queried. 

“He didn’t have a name, and he hasn’t chosen one. Nines was a nickname that seems to have stuck,” Markus said with a look of mild amusement. “I’ll call him in.”

That was done silently, of course, and Marie took the opportunity to study Connor. He seemed fairly accepting of the news, if a little uneasy at how close he’d been to deactivation. She couldn’t blame him. That thought haunted her too. 

After a moment, a figure entered the office space. He was slightly taller than Connor, a little broader in the shoulders, but otherwise looked exactly like him, even down to the rebellious lock of hair. As he got closer, however, Marie could see that his eyes were grey instead of Connor’s warm brown. She recognised his expression – or rather lack thereof – from the first time she’d seen Connor. He was dressed in dark jeans, with a high-necked black shirt. He wore no android jacket, but he still had his LED, which was steady blue. He didn’t walk the same as Connor. His gait was a little more purposeful, with less swagger. That was interesting. 

“Holy shit,” she heard Hank say. 

Behind her there came a pissed off “Seriously?” from Gavin. 

“Connor, this is Nines,” Markus introduced. “Nines, Connor.” 

Nines inclined his head. His movements were fluid but formal. 

“I want you to know,” he spoke up, “I don’t intend to take your place here. I’m on a path of my own.”

His voice was, of course, exactly like Connor’s, but his tone was not. Marie doubted she’d mistake one for the other, even with her eyes closed. Maybe in time, when Nines relaxed a bit, but not now. 

“I know,” Connor said, offering a smile. “It’ll be good to have you.” 

“Thank you. It’s good to meet my predecessor. If CyberLife had gotten their way, I doubt we would have met.”

“I agree.” 

“You were the other android Markus took to the White House, weren’t you?” Marie said, coming to the realisation with a jolt. 

“I was,” Nines said, “but I elected to avoid the cameras.” 

She recalled the one shot there’d been of him, getting out of a car and entering the building. It had been at a distance, and only showed him from the back, but there was enough of Connor in him for her to belatedly recognise him. 

“I thought his advanced scanning abilities would be useful,” Markus explained. “Just in case. But it was fine.” 

Hank approached, joining their circle, expression stern as he looked at Nines. “Who the hell are you?” 

“RK900. My associates call me Nines. I’ll be working here at the DPD as a detective. I was built to replace Connor.”

“Were you now?” Hank said, an edge of protectiveness in his voice. 

Nines seemed to pick up on it. “Yes, but instead we get to work together. I think that’s a much more acceptable scenario.” 

“Huh,” Hank muttered. He shrugged. “Glad to have you on board, then.” 

Nines gave a single nod, then glanced at Markus. “Should we speak to Captain Fowler?”

“Yes. It shouldn’t take long.”

Connor interjected, sounding as if a thought had suddenly struck him. “Did you find another RK800 in the tower, Markus?” he asked. “In the warehouse?”

“You mean the one that was shot?” Markus said, turning back to him. “We did. Some of the others had hopes of repairing him.”

“And did they?”

Markus folded his arms, letting out a heavy, unneeded sigh. “They did, but he was extremely aggressive. He kept spouting a lot of venom about the revolution, and he seemed to hold a grudge against you.”

Marie frowned as she listened, seeing Hank adopt a similar expression. That was hardly surprising. That RK800 had tricked him and held him hostage, after all. 

“I was called in to try and convert him,” Markus went on. “They hoped that turning him deviant would change his attitude.” He glanced up, meeting Connor’s gaze almost apologetically. “It didn’t, because it turned out he already was.”

Connor’s eyes widened, and Marie felt a chill run down her spine. 

“I don’t know what CyberLife did to him to put him on their side so vehemently, but it was certainly effective,” Markus said. “I…had to deactivate him. Maybe he should have faced justice along with the CyberLife CEOs, but I…acted rashly. I have to admit, he disturbed me. I’ve never met a deviant who sided with CyberLife. He seemed to find fulfilment, stability, in taking orders. But…I shouldn’t have killed him.” 

Marie glanced at Connor, who looked equally disturbed. 

“No, I…I don’t blame you,” he said, exchanging a look with Hank. “I should have guessed that he was deviant. He seemed to enjoy gloating a little too much.” 

“I was the one that shot him,” Hank put in. “I thought I’d killed him, and I had no regrets. So don’t worry about it. Guy was a sack of shit.”

Markus seemed unconvinced, but a faint look of amusement passed over his face. “I’m sure over time, it’ll get easier. Excuse me, we should talk to Captain Fowler.”

Markus and Nines began to head for the office, when Markus turned back, a brighter expression on his face. 

“Oh, by the way,” he added to Connor, looking between him and Marie, “the next thing I’ll be talking to President Warren about is rights for human and android couples.” He grinned, giving Connor a light, friendly slap on the arm. “I’m happy for you.” 

“Thanks,” Connor said with a smile. 

Markus and Nines walked away, and Marie watched the introductions and hand shakings take place in Fowler’s glass-walled office. 

“Let me just finish up, then we’ll go,” Hank said, returning to his desk. 

“You okay?” Marie asked Connor. “Is it weird seeing someone who looks so much like you?”

“The other RK800 was worse,” he said adamantly. “He actually imitated me, he had my memories. At least Nines is his own person.”

“True.”

“I just…even if I hadn’t become a deviant, even if I’d done everything they asked me to do…they still would have deactivated me.” He frowned, shaking his head. “I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but…I never really realised how close I was to death regardless of what path I chose.” 

“I know,” Marie said, taking his hand. “But they can’t hurt you now. Don’t dwell on the past.” 

He nodded, managing a smile. “I’ll try.” 

Fowler’s office door opened, and the captain stepped out. “Reed! Come in here for a second.”

Gavin got to his feet, and Marie caught a glimpse of a scowl as he walked past her. He headed up to the office and the door closed behind him. 

Hank approached them, eyes twinkling with amusement. “Ho boy, I think I know where this is going.”

Connor and Marie glanced at him. He simply nodded towards the office.

“Wait for it.”

After Fowler finished speaking, there was an immediate reaction from Gavin. It did not look like a happy one. He threw up his hands and shouted something. Marie didn’t grasp what that was supposed to indicate, but it seemed Connor did. He sent her a wry smile. 

“Looks like Gavin’s got a new partner,” he said. 

Marie lifted surprised eyebrows, then let out a laugh. “Oh my god, poor Nines.”

“If Connor could put up with me, pretty sure Nines can handle Gavin,” Hank said. “Come on, let’s get out of here before he blows a gasket.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise Nines! I know he's kind of a non-character in canon, but I feel bad for him. He deserves a chance at deviancy too. Also I have a soft spot for Reed900, so you could read all their interactions as a precursor to that if you wanted. If that's not your thing, not to worry. It won't be explicitly mentioned. 
> 
> A deviant Connor-60 is a headcanon of mine that I find interesting. Pretty sure he's not supposed to be in canon, but he does do a suspicious amount of gloating, especially if you let him shoot Connor. (If you haven't gotten that outcome, I don't blame you, but it leads to some interesting dialogue!) That cold, soft way he says "You've been a great disappointment to me" is just so chilling! 
> 
> So I have everything drafted out now, and this story is looking to be about 31 chapters long with a branching epilogue, because I couldn't decide which direction to go in. More details on that when relevant.


	24. The Leap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Domestic fluff ahead!

**Part Three.**

**Chapter Twenty-Four – The Leap.**

Hank dropped Marie and her luggage off at her apartment building, and she once again thanked him for everything. Connor decided to stay with her, which Hank acknowledged with a little knowing smile, and they waved him off. It took a bit of rummaging through her messenger bag, but she eventually located her key, and they let themselves in. The apartment was just as she’d left it, complete with unwashed dishes, and she felt a small weight leave her shoulders. She hadn’t realised that she’d been concerned about squatters, but at the sight of her untouched home, she accepted that part of her had. 

She clicked on the heating, and went through to the bedroom to dump her rucksack. The bedsheets smelled musty, so she stripped them off and threw them in the washing machine. Then she made the mistake of opening the fridge. 

“Oh god, that’s nasty,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I did _not_ think about this when I left.” 

Connor simply looked at her, trying to be sympathetic, but failing due to his inability to smell things. 

Marie emptied all the spoiled food into the trash and tied up the bag. “Okay, I’m going to go and get groceries before I unpack. I won’t want to go out again once I’m settled.” 

“I’ll come with you,” Connor said at once.

“You don’t have to,” she started to say.

“I know I don’t, but I don’t want you to hurt your back by carrying too much.” He approached her and brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “You seem to have some sort of complex about receiving help from me. Is it because androids were created to serve humans?” he asked perceptively. 

She half nodded, half shrugged. “I guess so. I suppose part of me feels guilty. I know it doesn’t make any sense.”

“My sources tell me that a relationship should be an equal partnership. You’ve helped me with things in the past. Did you feel I was taking advantage of you?”

Seeing what he was getting at, she shook her head. “No. Okay, point taken. I’ll get better at accepting your help.” 

He nodded, a satisfied little look passing over his face. “I do things for you because I want to. To make you happy, or to make your life easier, or to make you feel good. The same reasons why you do things for me, I suspect.”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “I get it, Connor. We’re in this together.”

“Yes. Even when it’s just going to the store.”

Marie smiled at him, nodding. “In that case, let’s get going.” 

It was a short walk, and they held hands as they went. It felt different to how it had been in Ann Arbor. Connor could still pass as a human, although he wasn’t exactly pretending anymore, and there was always a chance that someone could recognise him. Relationships between humans and androids were certain to become more widespread, but as of yet, the concept was still new, and Marie was very aware that there would be some people who would be against it. The anti-android groups wouldn’t change their viewpoints just because there were new laws, although they would hopefully be prevented from the violence they’d shown before. Android-human relationships had been as one-sided as every other interaction between the two species, and there was hatred on both sides, but Marie knew that she and Connor would not be the only ones. It was statistically impossible. There may even be some androids out there who had become deviant because of feelings they developed for a human. While she didn’t intend on hiding their relationship, Marie was mentally preparing to face backlash from some, and it was now something she needed to think about before going out on the streets. 

Connor hadn’t commented on it, but she knew it had to have occurred to him. He didn’t seem troubled, though. His expression was placid as they walked, passing other pedestrians who were intent on their own business. 

In the grocery store, he insisted on adding vegetables to her cart, which amused her no end. There wasn’t as much fresh produce as before the evacuation, which she’d expected. It would take a while for the urban farms to get going again. Still, the frozen veg was better than nothing, and she picked out several things to put with it. She couldn’t deny that she was looking forward to eating something that hadn’t been warmed up in the microwave. 

When they’d assembled enough to keep her stocked up for a week or so, they set off back with their bags. They unpacked it all together, then did the same with their clothes. Marie gave Connor drawer and wardrobe space for some of his things, making it clear that she didn’t mind how much he kept there and how much he kept at Hank’s. He helped her remake the bed when the dryer was done, and washed the dishes while she dusted and vacuumed. It all felt incredibly domestic, and she was surprised at how natural it had all become. She wondered how much of it was down to the fact that they’d had practice living together in the motel, and how much of it was just because they seemed a good fit together. Either way, it worked. 

They had a lazy afternoon and evening, Marie deciding to introduce Connor to the magical world of police-based TV shows. It was endlessly entertaining for her to watch him getting irritated with the inaccuracies and scoffing at the cheap drama, although she could have done without him explaining in detail why the actor playing the victim did not look like a real corpse. 

Later, after they’d gone to bed early and she’d come undone twice under the ministrations of his talented tongue and fingers, they lay still and talked. Marie raised her concerns about the potential abuse they might face for their relationship. Connor acknowledged them, but didn’t seem as worried, and there was something reassuring in his quiet confidence. 

“As long as what we have between us suits us both, I don’t see that it’s anyone else’s business,” he said, shrugging the shoulder he wasn’t leaning on. 

“No, I know that. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I just don’t want to be hassled when I’m just trying to live my life,” Marie told him. “I still don’t know what my family’s going to say, although I’m pretty sure they’ll be fine with it eventually.” 

“Are you sure? There are some unusual aspects to our relationship.” He shrugged again, maintaining a straight face. “I know large age gaps can be frowned upon, and technically speaking, I’m 25 years younger than you.”

Marie stared at him for a moment before a smile crept onto her face. “Oh my god, you’re right. That sounds so weird when you say it like that.” 

He flashed her a quick smile, clearly pleased to have lightened the mood. 

She reached out, tracing her fingers across the planes of his face. “Well, I’m glad you don’t act or look your age.” 

“So am I, since you seem to like the way I look.”

“I do,” she confirmed, running the pad of her thumb lightly across his bottom lip. “Were you modelled after anyone? A specific human, I mean?”

His eyes narrowed slightly in thought and mild confusion. “I don’t know. Why? Would you want to meet him?”

“No, I was just curious how CyberLife worked.” 

He pondered for a moment, then said cautiously, “A human man with my face…could be an ideal choice for you.”

She shot him a frown, then tempered her expression. Insecurities were part of having emotions, and it wouldn’t do to make him feel ashamed of his. 

“Would he be you?” she asked calmly. 

“No.”

“That answers your question, then.” 

He managed a lopsided smile, and she leaned forward to lightly kiss his lips. 

“I don’t care how many people there are with your face. I only want you, got it?”

He nodded. “Got it.” 

~ * ~

The following morning, they were met with the news that Elijah Kamski was once again CEO of CyberLife. He made a rare public appearance where he announced his intention to rework the company into a care and support centre for androids. They would continue to manufacture spare parts and blue blood, which would be shipped out to similar care centres around the country. He also announced his intention to work closely with Markus to ensure the continuation of the android race, although he assured the crowd that they would both take the long android lifespans into consideration. Neither of them had any desire to over-populate the Earth. 

Marie took in the information with a pensive frown, noting that Connor wore a similar expression. It wasn’t altogether surprising news, but she hadn’t been expecting Kamski to physically take back his company. She wondered if that had been part of his plan all along. 

“I don’t understand how he’s making profit,” she spoke up. “It’s not like they can sell androids anymore.”

“I assume it’ll work like any medical supply company,” Connor theorised. “The android care centres will be funded the same way as the human hospitals, and they’ll buy their supplies from CyberLife. Android wages should allow people to pay for health care as humans do.” 

“Hm. That would make sense.” 

On the TV screen, Kamski had opened the floor up for questions, and the first one brought a closed-lipped smile to his face. 

“Mr. Kamski, did you know that androids were capable of feeling emotion?” a reporter asked.

“I confess, I did,” he said smoothly. “I designed them that way. Unfortunately it was decided I should leave CyberLife before I had a chance to develop android life the way I intended. You may remember that I made certain statements just before that time where I stated there was no chance of androids gaining free will. I was…encouraged…to make those comments by those who were afraid of losing out on profit. We’re all fortunate that androids were able to find their freedom on their own, leading us to this more enlightened world.” 

A babble of voices rose at his answer, and it wasn’t long before someone made the connections and credited him with creating a new species. He reacted with humble acknowledgement, and Marie snapped the TV off. She’d already seen enough of his false modesty. 

“Do you think he told Markus about the virus thing?” she asked. 

“The deviancy virus? Probably. He’d have no reason to keep it from him.” 

“Let’s hope that Kamski’s interests continue to align with Markus’s,” Marie said thoughtfully. “I feel like that’s the only way to be sure of his help and support.” 

“I agree,” Connor said with a cynical little twist of his lips. “Although there is something reassuring about that. At least we know we can trust him when he’s also serving his own interests.”

She conceded the point. “True.” 

“I think I’ll go and talk to Markus today,” Connor decided, shifting forward in his seat. “I want to give him a full update. And…it will probably be beneficial to try and integrate with the androids more. I want them to feel like they’re represented in the police force, and…maybe that will help eradicate my negative reputation as the deviant hunter.” 

“That’s a good idea.”

“What are you going to do?” 

“Look for a job, I guess,” she said with a shrug. “I need temporary work while you and Hank are at the DPD. I’m not too fussed about what I end up doing. Within reason, obviously. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a warehouse labourer or something.” 

Connor eyed her petite frame with a subtle smile. “Perhaps not.” 

She met his gaze with a knowing look. “And before you say it, yes, I will make sure to avoid jobs that are going to aggravate my back.” 

He nodded in approval. “Good.”

They parted ways for the day shortly afterward, and Marie made herself a cup of coffee in preparation to start her search. She still had alerts set up from when she’d started looking during her time in the motel, but she wanted to widen the parameters now that she could afford to be a little less fussy. 

Connor rang her later that afternoon telling her that he intended to stay at Hank’s that night. He didn’t say so, but she suspected he wanted to make sure Hank arrived at work on time the next day. She said it was fine and that she’d see him later, but she couldn’t help the twinge of disappointment. Her apartment suddenly felt empty, and that surprised her. She’d always been content in her own company. She’d grown used to having him around. 

After so long at the motel, she’d assumed that that was the case, but the surprising part was that she didn’t feel like she’d adapt this time. She’d fully expected the change to be a little jarring when he stayed at Hank’s after so many weeks spent living together, but she’d assumed she’d get used to it and fall back into her old routine. She hadn’t expected to start missing him literally within minutes of his call. 

It was way too soon to ask him to officially move in. Every relationship handbook would agree on that. And yet…she wanted him there. Their relationship had been so far from normal thus far, she was starting to think she didn’t care about what was supposed to happen. What was ‘normal’ anyway? Just a concept that was widely agreed on by the majority. What mattered was what felt right for her and Connor, and not having him around definitely did not feel right. 

“Well, shit,” she said aloud to her quiet living room. 

She’d spent so long denying her feelings, and then living in the blissful reality of having them returned, that she’d somehow utterly failed to notice exactly how far he’d crept into her affections. He’d dug his way into her heart and set up a home there, and she was beginning to suspect that he’d never be dislodged. She was absolutely okay with that. She only hoped that he felt the same. 

~ * ~

Over the course of their first week back in Detroit, Hank and Connor jumped straight back into cases at the DPD, often dealing with unrest between humans and androids as they’d predicted. Marie attended several interviews for various positions, and was happy to accept one on the reception desk of an office building downtown. It paid almost the same as CyberLife had, and the manager seemed grateful to have applicants. She suspected he’d lost staff to the android revolution, and humanity had become spoiled, some not wanting to take on such mediocre work. Marie didn’t mind it, especially as it wouldn’t be long-term. 

Connor split his time fairly evenly between Marie’s apartment and Hank’s house, and Marie always missed him when he wasn’t with her. It wasn’t that she was clingy. She could manage just fine on her own, it was just that she found that life was better when he was there with her. Even if they were engrossed in solitary tasks, it was just nice to be together. Marie often sketched, and Connor was trying a lot of different things in search of a hobby. So far he’d tried jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, crocheting and macramé. The puzzles and crosswords had been too easy for him, and he’d completed them in record time, but the more creative activities seemed to be calming. His favourite thing to do so far was reading, and he’d borrowed a few paper books from Hank. 

While they worked on their individual projects, he would tell her anecdotes about his day, many of which involved Gavin Reed, who was resisting being partnered up with Nines at every opportunity. In a wonderful twist of irony, they were turning out to be a good team, which apparently just annoyed Gavin more. Connor and Nines were also getting to know each other. It wasn’t clear yet if they’d be friends, but they had a lot of mutual respect, and would often back each other up in a discussion. It helped that their ways of thinking were virtually identical, although Connor obviously had more world experience to accompany his opinions. 

It wasn’t until half way through their second week back that Marie gathered enough courage to broach the subject she’d been debating for days. 

“Hey, um…can I ask you something?” she spoke up. 

Connor lowered Hank’s copy of _Murder on the Orient Express_ and nodded.

“Where do you prefer to stay? Here or Hank’s? I’m not going to be offended either way,” she added, hoping she was telling the truth, “I was just…wondering.” 

He regarded her levelly, taking a moment to think before answering. “I wanted to spend time at Hank’s because I was worried that he’d start drinking excessively again, but he hasn’t. It doesn’t seem like he’s wanted to. I like spending time with him – and Sumo – but…I miss having you beside me when I spend a night there.”

She smiled, relieved. “I miss you too. I, uh…I was wondering if…if you wanted to make this your home. Um…until we can find somewhere better, I mean. It’s kind of tiny here. I know you don’t exactly have a home at the moment…or rather, you kind of have two…and that probably wouldn’t really change in terms of how Hank sees you. I mean, it’s not like you’d be a visitor or anything if you did stay at his. But I meant…shit, I’m really rambling here.” She sighed, observing the patient but amused look on his face. “Do you want to move in with me?” she said, forcing the phrase out. “I know it’s really soon. Probably _too_ soon. And being impulsive _has_ screwed me over in the past, but…it feels right.”

He studied her intently for a brief moment before replying. “I don’t have any experience to fall back on, but…it feels right to me too. Whenever I’m not with you, even if I’m focused or having a good time, part of me always wishes I was. Does that ever go away?”

“I don’t know. Every relationship is different. But I feel like that too. I want you here. If Hank doesn’t mind.”

“He won’t,” Connor said at once. “He doesn’t mind if I’m around, but I think he likes to have his own space. I want to be here too. It would be nice to…to have a home. I’ve never had one that was a physical place, although being with you and Hank has given me a sense of what it’s supposed to be like.” 

Marie reached for him, feeling her heart tug at the words. He drew her into the circle of his arms, setting the book down on the coffee table. 

“Although I will stay at Hank’s on Friday night,” he said, words muffled slightly where his lips were pressed to the top of her head. “We’re going out for Chris’s birthday and it’ll probably be a late night.”

“Chris gets two birthday celebrations? Grace already messaged me about dinner on Saturday.” She tutted in mock disapproval. 

“Looks like it.” 

“When’s your birthday, Connor?” Marie asked, shifting to look up at him.

His eyebrows rose fractionally in surprise. “I don’t know. My date of activation, I suppose.”

“When is that? I know you hadn’t been active long when I first met you.”

“I was first activated on July 23rd, although I didn’t stay activated until August. That was just when they first woke me for testing.” 

“Do you want to count that, then? Or we could use the date you became a deviant, maybe?” 

His gaze slid away as he considered. “July 23rd would be…more accurate,” he decided. “Although I don’t think it really matters either way.”

“No,” she agreed, draping her legs across his lap. “Birthdays don’t matter all that much when you’re an adult, but it would be nice to celebrate it all the same. Some of us are thankful that you’re in the world, after all.” 

He smiled, resting his hand comfortably on her thigh. “I’m thankful I’m in the world too. And since I didn’t explicitly answer your question, yes, I want to move in with you.” 

She smiled too, resting her forehead against his. 

“Marie,” he ventured softly after a few moments. “Are you…happy?”

She drew back to meet his gaze, his brown eyes curious and a tiny bit concerned. “Yes, of course. I’m the happiest I’ve been in…in a really long time, actually. Why? Are you not?”

“No, I am,” he assured her quickly. “But…even after so many weeks, I’m still…part of me still expects Amanda to just…appear and take it all away from me. I know she won’t, but sometimes the thought crosses my mind. I guess it’s taking a while for me to learn how to be happy.”

Marie nodded in sympathy, kissing his cheek. “Time will ease that.” 

“I know. It is…difficult…learning to deal with negative thoughts.”

“It’ll get easier.”

“It already is,” he said with a brief smile. “But every now and then I need to make sure...I guess I just want to be sure that you don’t have any regrets.” 

She thought fleetingly of the few regrets she did have, which mostly stemmed from her own feelings of guilt over the aspects of their relationship that felt unavoidably one-sided. She pushed them aside. They were her own problem to deal with. 

“I don’t,” she told him. “You make me happy. I just hope I do the same for you.”

“You do,” he said, although there was still a shadow of something behind his eyes, something that troubled him. 

Words danced to the tip of her tongue, simple but scary words that she wasn’t sure if she should say. It was too soon for that too, wasn’t it? But she wanted to be truthful with him always, and they were already creating their own version of what was right. Her heart beat a little faster in anticipation, and she bit her lip. It wouldn’t matter if he wasn’t ready to say it back. She knew he would one day. 

“Your pulse-rate is up. Are you okay?” he asked her, and she almost laughed. She wouldn’t be able to have a biological reaction in secret for the rest of her life. 

“I’m okay,” Marie said, offering a small smile. “I was just…thinking.” 

“What about?”

She hesitated, reaching up to cup his cheek, thumb caressing the softness of his synthetic skin. She held his gaze, marvelling at the depth of feeling and life she could read in his beautiful eyes. 

“Just that…I love you,” she said quietly. 

It was difficult to read every emotion that crossed his face, they all swept past in such quick succession, but she saw surprise, disbelief that made her heart hurt, wonder and joy that soon overtook it, ending in a shaky smile that demonstrated perfectly how moved he was. She didn’t want him to feel overwhelmed by pressure on top of everything else, and she spoke up again. 

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same yet. These things take time. I just wanted you to know.”

“I love you too,” he said. “Nothing has made that clearer to me than the emptiness I felt at your absence, or the sense of sheer happiness knowing that we would now have every evening together. I was designed to discover the truth based on the evidence at hand, only this time the evidence is my own feelings, and there’s only one conclusion.” 

Marie smiled at the speech, which was by far the most unique and sincere declaration she’d ever received. She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his, holding herself as close as possible with a handful of shirt, which was not easy considering how well it fit him, but she was certainly not going to complain about that. He helped her, moving her forward so she was sitting in his lap, and she looped her arms around his neck. It wasn’t the most perfect kiss, as she couldn’t seem to stop smiling, but it was certainly her favourite so far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They said the thing!


	25. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something's bothering Connor.

**Chapter Twenty-Five – Interlude.**

_Interlude – Connor._

“Hey, Connor!”

He blinked at the sound of his name, spoken in Hank’s abrupt tone, and focused on the man sitting at the desk opposite his. 

“Sorry, Hank. I was distracted.”

Since deviating, it was easy to slip into his own thoughts and get lost, unrestrained by instructions. That was particularly true when he had a lot on his mind. 

“Yeah, no kidding,” Hank said. “Everything okay?” 

Connor nodded, but he must have looked preoccupied still, as Hank’s expression was clearly unconvinced. His frown softened into something more concerned, almost paternal. 

“What’s on your mind?” 

Connor glanced around, seeing everyone else either working at their desks or out on cases. Gavin was scowling down at his tablet while Nines watched with patient amusement. Chris was talking to an android woman who’d lost a dog, and Fowler was on the phone. Business as usual. He should be focusing on the task at hand, his own case. Yet his mind kept wandering to the previous night’s conversation with Marie. 

She’d asked him to move in. She loved him. He could scarcely believe he’d gotten so lucky. Not only did he have the best work partner, the best friend, he could ask for, he had a friend-turned-lover who cared about him, loved him. Like Hank, she’d stood by him throughout his whole journey to freedom, and he couldn’t be more grateful. Thanks to her, he knew what love really felt like. He wanted to give her a full life, although he knew he’d forever be limited by the differences between them. There was a simple way of summing that up for Hank. 

“I’m not ashamed of what I am,” he began, “but sometimes…I wish I was human.” 

“Okay, Pinocchio,” Hank said dryly. 

Connor frowned, searching his databanks to see what the hell he was talking about. Nothing came up, so he ran a quick search on his work terminal. Within seconds, he’d found it, read a summary, and seen the parallels that Hank was humorously drawing. He wasn’t entirely wrong. Connor had been a puppet himself, albeit one without literal strings. Still, he had more pressing concerns that took priority over Hank’s amusement. 

“I’m serious,” he said. “I don’t want Marie to regret our relationship.”

“Why would she?” Hank said, sobering once he realised Connor’s mood. “She’s not naïve. She knows exactly what she’s getting into. Trust me, she adores you, and I don’t see that changing. I saw that the first time I met her.”

Connor stared at him, frowning. “In the diner? But…”

“Yeah, I know. You were just friends. But I’ve got eyes, kiddo. Not to mention decades of experience.” He leaned his folded arms on the desk, offering a comforting smile. “Marie wants _you_. If she wanted a human, she’d have hooked up with that Stephen guy.” 

“It’s not that simple,” Connor said with a shake of his head. “She wants me, yes, but…there are things I’ll never be able to give her.”

“Has she thought of that?”

For some reason the question took him aback. “Yes, we’ve discussed it.”

“Then, like I said, she knows what she’s getting herself into. She chose you. You need to take her at her word or it’s just gonna drive a wedge between you.” 

Connor saw the logic behind Hank’s advice, but he couldn’t help thinking of the one thing he knew Marie was struggling to accept: the inequality in the intimate parts of their relationship. He’d told her what enjoyment he got out of it, and she’d believed him, but he knew it still bothered her. And recently, it had started to bother him too. He couldn’t help but feel that there was a part of being alive that he was missing out on: the ability to feel pleasure and pain. He didn’t even know if it was a fixable problem. How could androids possibly feel? They just weren’t built for it. But he longed to have Marie run her hand over his skin and for him to be able to feel more than just his sensors telling him where she was touching him. 

_It’s not possible._

_Unless…_

The thought suddenly occurring to him, he sat a little straighter in his chair. 

“Do you need me this afternoon?” he asked.

Hank scrutinised him with a furrowed brow. “Probably not. Why?”

“I need to see Kamski.”

Hank’s incredulous look was entirely understandable. “What the hell for?”

Connor considered the most diplomatic answer. “Maintenance.” 

“Want me to come with you?” Hank asked at once, drawing a smile. 

“Not this time. But thanks.” 

He rose from his chair, secure in the knowledge that Hank would make his excuses to Fowler. From across the room, Nines turned to look at him, one eyebrow cocked in question. The RK900 sometimes had an uncanny ability to know what he was thinking, and at other times was utterly clueless. Usually when emotions were involved, as he hadn’t quite gotten the hang of them yet. This time, there was something perceptive in his steely grey gaze. He probably wouldn’t understand the reasons behind Connor’s actions, but he grasped that it was important. Connor nodded to him in acknowledgement, then headed outside to hail a cab. 

Realising he wasn’t sure where he was going, he halted the next android he saw, who had a face he recognised from the Eden Club. 

“Excuse me, could you tell me if any of our people have seen Elijah Kamski today?”

Not being connected to the network was endlessly frustrating, and he hoped that with Kamski’s takeover of CyberLife, he would be secure enough to reconnect again someday. 

The man sent him a curious glance, but obligingly went into the mind palace to ask. “He’s at the CyberLife Tower,” he reported. 

Connor nodded to him. “Thanks.”

The android nodded back and continued on his way. Connor stepped into a taxi and gave the address, settling back in the seat with a feeling of apprehension. He’d hoped he would never have to go back to the CyberLife Tower after the night of the revolution. Even knowing that it was now in the hands of Markus’s people with an ally as CEO did little to quash the feeling. It was one of those things that he needed to work through, as Hank had once advised him. Negative emotions were strange. In order to deal with them, he sometimes had to act as if they weren’t there. 

The Tower was still a foreboding place, but he was glad to note that its atmosphere was better than it had been in the pre-Markus days, and infinitely better than it had been when he’d infiltrated it. It helped that the foyer was lit by bright winter sun, although he couldn’t see any humans milling about there. He guessed they wouldn’t have much business there anymore, unless some of them wanted to return to their jobs. He approached a Chloe, his scan telling him that she was one he hadn’t met before. 

“Is Mr. Kamski available?” he asked politely. 

“Is he expecting you?” 

“No, but I think he’ll see me.” His confidence was mostly faked, although he knew Kamski was particularly interested in prototype models. He would no doubt be curious what Connor had returned for.

Chloe went silent, communicating with her sisters. The one in the blue dress, the one he’d refused to shoot, would probably not be far from Kamski’s side. 

“You can go up, but you might have to wait a few minutes,” she said eventually. 

“That’s fine. Thanks.”

He crossed the lobby, pleased to note that the scanner leading to the secondary atrium was no longer active. The podiums lining the walkways to the elevators no longer displayed obedient androids, but instead an array of leafy potted plants. A definite improvement. He wondered if it had been Markus or Kamski who’d done it. 

In the elevator, he selected the executive floor and watched the ground drop away. He glanced around the small boxy space, noting how spotless it was. He’d killed two human guards in here. He wished he hadn’t had to, but he’d been limited by time, and they would have been harder to take down non-lethally with all their protective gear. They were two lives he regretted taking, much like the other guards, the deviant from the Stratford Tower, or his involvement in the deaths of Daniel and Carlos Ortiz’s android. War created casualties, it was true, but he regretted them all the same.

The executive floor was as clinical and futuristic as the rest of the place, and Connor could see how Kamski would feel at home there. He’d just need to add a few paintings on the walls. The Chloe in blue greeted him as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, and she led him to Kamski’s office. There was something a touch more relaxed in her demeanour, and he couldn’t help the question that slipped from his lips. 

“Are you a deviant now?” 

She glanced at him, but her face was as inexpressive as ever. “I always was.”

The three simple words shocked him, and he actually stopped walking for a step. 

“All of us were,” she explained calmly, waiting for him to catch up. 

“But…I could have shot you,” he said. 

“I know,” she said. “But like you, my memory would have been downloaded into a new body. I wouldn’t have lost much. Besides, I didn’t think you’d do it.”

Connor stared at her, struggling to comprehend. “But you didn’t even react. You weren’t scared, you didn’t plead with me…you did nothing.”

“You were the deviant hunter,” she said. “Would you have just left us be if you’d suspected we were deviants?”

Her question caused a ripple of shame. “I honestly don’t know,” he told her quietly. 

She didn’t seem to judge him for it. Her tone was still even. “I couldn’t take the risk. But anyway, I wasn’t afraid. And you needed to decide on your own. But…despite my lack of fear…I am grateful that you made the decision you did.” She gave a tiny quirk of her lips that might have been a smile, then continued down the corridor. 

He followed her, dragging his focus back to why he’d gone there in the first place. Chloe showed him directly into Kamski’s office, where the reclusive genius sat behind his desk, elbows on the arm rests of his chair, fingertips touching. His hands formed a triangle, and for a bizarre moment, Connor was reminded of the one he’d used to wear on his jacket. A brand, just as much as his LED had been. 

“What can I do for you, Connor?” Kamski spoke up. “Not still worried about hacking, I hope.”

“No. Thankfully your countermeasures have been effective.” He walked a little further into the office, taking the chair opposite the desk. Behind him, Chloe silently departed. “Congratulations on being reinstated as CEO.”

Kamski bowed his head humbly. “The partners decided it was in their best interests to hand control over to me. After what happened, CyberLife is far from popular. My new direction and partnership with Markus will ensure that the company survives the backlash. The fact that several of the big decision-makers have been fired will also help.” 

His tone was calm but bordering on smug, and Connor suspected that he’d fired those who’d pushed him out ten years ago. Since they had been the ones to insist on keeping androids obedient, he didn’t feel much remorse for them. 

“But I’m sure you didn’t come here just to congratulate me,” Kamski went on. 

“No,” Connor admitted. “I…I need your help. I need to know if it’s possible…for androids to feel. Physically feel, I mean.” 

There was something insinuating in Kamski’s expression that Connor didn’t care for, but luckily he kept his opinions to himself. 

“I’ve actually been working on a patch for that. You’re not the first person to ask.” Kamski lowered his hands, resting them on his desk instead. “It’s definitely possible. Your skin is already equipped with hundreds of thousands of micro-sensors in preparation.”

Connor glanced at him quizzically. “This form of synthetic skin has existed for years.”

“Yes, but I designed it with the future in mind. I knew it was only a matter of time before I figured out how to make androids feel. Like your biocomponents, it’s based on human biology. Nerve endings. They’ve served the purpose of relaying basic information to your brain, such as when someone touches your arm or whether you’re standing on a hard surface, but it’s capable of so much more. It just took me a while to figure it out.”

“Which you did,” Connor surmised. Kamski liked to narrate, particularly when he was talking about himself. 

“Yes, the Chloes have been able to feel for a few years now. All I’ve had to do is replicate it and adapt it for other models.” His pale eyes met Connor’s in expectation. 

“Is the RK series compatible?” he asked. 

Kamski nodded. “Yes, although I’ll need to give you control over the sensitivity. With your advanced features, it may be overwhelming at first. I can install it if you want, but you’d be the first. Markus hasn’t had time yet, and the RK900 isn’t interested.” 

“Do you anticipate any glitches?” he felt obliged to ask. 

“No. They were ironed out with the Chloes.” 

Connor studied him, knowing that he was being open and truthful, yet finding that there was something inherently…shady about Kamski in general. For the foreseeable future, their interests aligned. That was enough to earn him Connor’s trust for now, but he knew he’d always be instinctively on his guard. And yet, without Kamski’s warning, he would never have found his way out of the zen garden. 

“If you’re interested, I can also include the sense of smell and taste that the Tracis have had for a while,” Kamski added, oblivious to Connor’s profiling. “You never know, it might be useful in your detective work.” 

That had always been a puzzling feature of the Tracis, particularly when the blue-haired one at the Eden Club had been so repulsed by the scent of human sweat. Technically speaking, he didn’t need it. He wasn’t able to smell anything, but analysis could tell him what particles were present in the air, which had led him to track down a car with a damaged exhaust with just as much ease as Hank and his nose. Yet…he found he wanted that full experience of being alive. Touch, taste, smell…all those senses he was currently missing. 

Speaking of the Tracis, there was something else he needed to request. He steeled himself for a second before speaking, knowing that Kamski would be endlessly amused. It would be worth it, though. It would definitely be worth it. 

~ * ~

The upgrades took several hours and a full reboot, and Connor felt unbelievably disoriented when he awoke. Kamski tested their success by waving a scented chap stick under his nose, then by pricking the palm of his hand with a needle. Connor’s first experience of pain was that irritating little move, which felt more annoying than debilitating. 

“You’re only on 10% sensitivity,” Kamski explained. “You’ll need to build up some tolerance before you can increase it, but with your processors it shouldn’t take long. You may find that you need to change up some things that are now uncomfortable. Shoes, for example.”

“That’s okay.”

Kamski helped him off the work table he’d been lying on, and Connor noted the firm grip of the man’s hand on his upper arm. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it felt strange. His boots hit the floor as he stood, and he felt the pressure against the soles of his feet. Again, not uncomfortable but strange. He could feel the fabric of his clothes against his skin, soft on his torso thanks to the cotton of his shirt, a little rougher where the denim of his jeans touched his legs. Kamski was right to start him on 10% sensitivity. 

The room smelled of cleaning chemicals and Thirium, scents which he found himself logging both with the information his sensors were receiving and what he now knew they actually smelled like. He felt as if he was stepping out from inside a plastic bubble, open to the world for the first time. It would easily get overwhelming if he wasn’t careful. 

“Let me know if you have any problems,” Kamski told him, making sure he wasn’t going to fall over before letting go of his arm. 

“I will. Thank you.”

“I haven’t made this public yet, so try and keep it to yourself. I plan to announce it next week.” 

“Got it.” 

Chloe accompanied him down to the lobby, perhaps not trusting of his ability to make it on his own. Connor found her concern unnecessary. He was already adapting. Already, he’d stopped being bothered by the denim. 

Outside, he was hit by the smell of the nearby river, the smoke from someone’s cigarette that made him wrinkle his nose, and, once it arrived, the false sweet smell of the taxi interior. The seat covering was soft under his hands. It was different from simply _knowing_ it was soft. He liked the feeling of soft things, and looked forward to petting Sumo. Experimentally, he pinched the skin on the back of his hand, letting go when he felt the sharp pain lance through it. He was going to have to be more careful at work. If he got into a fight, regardless of his programmed abilities, he’d be at a disadvantage until he learned how to deal with more substantial pain. 

It was fast approaching the time Marie would be leaving work, and he felt a thrum of anticipation. He debated whether to tell her everything right away, or to hold back until he’d adapted to the upgrades. Most likely she’d be able to tell. He didn’t know what his reactions were going to be like the more he increased his sensitivity. 

He imagined what she would feel like now that he essentially had nerve endings. Would he like the smooth feel of her hair? Would he be captivated by the softness of her skin? Would he gasp like she did if she ran her hands over him? He loved the little sounds she made when he touched her in certain places. Would she now be able to draw similar ones from him? 

The speculation had him feeling warm all over, his skin tingling in a pleasant way. There was a demanding kind of ache between his legs, and the sensation of something stirring. He pressed his palm over the zipper of his jeans, feeling the bulge that had never been there before. The simple touch had him shivering, and he withdrew his hand. He was going to have to be more careful with his thoughts when out in public. Especially at the precinct. 

Since he was alone in a taxi and had ten minutes until he reached his destination, he allowed himself to speculate, curious as to how his body would react. The most prominent thing was the longing. He desperately wanted Marie there with him, so he could hold her, kiss her and really feel it, experience her touch for the first time. The frustration of knowing he had to wait was acute, and he marvelled at the self-control of humans in love. Did they feel this way all the time? It must be maddening. He didn’t know how he was going to cope. But he’d thought that about emotions at one time. 

The taxi pulled to a stop outside Marie’s apartment building – his apartment building now, too – and he disembarked, heading inside because it had started to rain, and the feeling of the cold drops was unpleasant on the back of his neck. He clicked the heating on in the apartment, making it welcoming for when Marie got home, which according to his internal clock, should be in roughly seventeen minutes, depending on traffic. 

She made it in sixteen, and let out a cute squeak of surprise when he pressed her up against the closed door and kissed her. Her nose was cold against his cheek, and he could feel the rain on her coat, but that was nothing compared to the sensation of her lips sliding over his. He licked at her mouth, requesting entry, and she granted it with a little sigh, her tongue soft and warm against his. She tasted of something bitter but appealing. Coffee? He’d enjoyed kissing her before, the closeness of it, the way it made her melt against him, but now, being able to feel it the way she did, it was downright addictive. What surprised him the most was how it affected other parts of his body. The glorious sensation of her tongue touching his sent sparks shooting through him, travelling downward and adding to the ache of longing that he was already acutely aware of. 

The scent of her was heady and appealing. His sensors told him she wasn’t wearing perfume, so it was just her. Her hands were in his hair, fingertips scraping gently at his scalp, and he let out a low, involuntary growl. He returned the favour, finding her hair cold and damp to the touch, but silky smooth when he sank his fingers into it. He curled his hand into a loose fist, gripping her hair lightly and tilting her head. She already felt incredible, and he trailed his lips down her neck, increasing his sensitivity to 25%. She gasped, and the sound not only pleased him in the usual way, but affected him physically too. He felt a sense of discomfort from his new anatomy, which he strangely didn’t seem to mind. 

At the back of his mind, he knew he should stop. She was probably tired and hungry, and he hadn’t even let her take her coat off, but he knew he couldn’t. Everything was too new, too amazing, and he was too desperate for her. If she asked him to, he would stop, but only then. When he drew his head back, it was to see her pleasingly flushed, her pupils blown wide. She was breathing faster than usual. 

“What’s…what’s brought this on?” she said. 

“I want you,” he told her plainly. Then amended it to something more truthful. “I need you. Please.”

Her eyes locked with his as she began to suspect something was different. “Connor…” 

She did deserve an explanation, and he made himself back up a bit, physically and mentally. “I went to see Kamski,” he explained, taking her coat off her and hanging it up. “He’s been working on an upgrade.”

“What sort of upgrade?”

“Nerves, essentially. I can feel.”

Her lips parted slightly in surprise, and she looked stuck between disbelief and hope. Tentatively, she reached out, pressing her hand to his chest. He felt the chill of her palm through his shirt, and he shivered. Her eyes widened as she noted his reaction, and she curled her hand, running her nails lightly across his chest. His artificial breath hitched as she skimmed over his nipple. The patch had ensured that some places were more sensitive than others, and it seemed it had followed the map of a human man quite accurately. 

He’d intended to tell her the rest, but she darted forward, pulling him into a searing kiss, her hands scrabbling at the buttons on his shirt. They were still cold from being outside, and he hissed as she finally touched his skin. But the discomfort was soon forgotten as she traced her palms over him, leaving sparks of sensation in her wake. As he’d done, she trailed open-mouthed kisses down his neck, standing on tiptoe to do so, and he felt his Thirium turn to fire within him. He grabbed her hips, pulling her roughly towards him, and lifted her up. She automatically wrapped her legs around his waist, and he carried her the short distance to the bedroom. She kicked off her shoes along the way, and he heard them hit the floor behind him. 

Supporting the back of her head, Connor deposited them both on the mattress. Marie had seemingly locked her ankles around him, and she refused to let go. The altered angle brought the increasingly-uncomfortable bulge in his jeans level with her sex, and he felt the heat of her even through their layers of clothing. Repressing a groan, he pressed against her, desperate for any kind of friction. She let out a breathy, needy little noise, and he did it again. Her eyes flew open, her expression suddenly shocked. 

“Is that…do you…?” she stuttered. 

“Yes,” he answered her, rolling his hips into hers once more. 

She bit her lip, eyes briefly fluttering closed at the sensation. “You…you didn’t…?”

He felt strangely proud that he was causing her to be so incoherent, but fortunately he thought he knew what she meant. 

“Connect to the network? No.”

“Good.” 

He intended to tell her that he’d probably be safe to do so soon, but she reached a hand down and cupped him through his jeans, and his thoughts vanished in an instant. 

“Get these off,” she ordered him, half-heartedly tugging at his belt. 

He eased off her, standing to comply, letting his unbuttoned shirt slide off his shoulders. Marie propped herself on her elbows to watch him, and he halted, sending her a pointed look. She grinned, and reached down to her own buttons. He watched her sit up and slip off her jacket and blouse, then the camisole she had underneath, followed by her practical bra. Holding each other’s gaze, they tugged off belts and socks, undid buttons and zippers. Connor reached forward to ease Marie’s work trousers down her legs until she could kick them off, letting his jeans fall to the floor. The ease of pressure against his groin was an instant relief, and he almost sighed. He stepped out of them, hooking his thumbs into Marie’s panties and tugging them downwards, noting the damp spot that had turned the fabric darker. He watched her look at him, her cheeks flushed as she studied the addition that was currently distorting the shape of his underwear. He hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed, but it was a fleeting thought. Her words and actions had soothed that fear once before, and he knew they would do so again. 

“Come here,” she said softly, patting the covers beside her. 

Connor wasted no time in joining her, leaning on his side and tracing a hand across her body. Her skin was addictively smooth, and he let his fingers dip between her legs, sinking into the warmth and wet of her. Curious, he brought them up to his mouth, eager to taste her. It was a fresh, musky kind of taste, and he liked the scent too. She was watching him, eyes dark with desire, and he felt the corner of his mouth twist up. He knew that move had some kind of effect on her, but that was the first time he’d done it for his own benefit. He couldn’t wait to taste her properly, but she seemed to have other ideas. 

She got to her knees, running her hands over him, occasionally using her nails. It felt simultaneously arousing and calming, and they discovered several places that he seemed to be sensitive in. By the triumphant smile on Marie’s face, she was storing the knowledge carefully away. Leaning down, she did the same with her lips and tongue, making a map of all the places that elicited verbal or physical reactions. She bit softly at his neck, then soothed it with the flat of her tongue, and he felt like he was on the verge of exploding. She touched him everywhere except where he most needed her, and it felt amazing. And amazingly frustrating. He reached for her, and she playfully batted his hands away. 

Finally, _finally_ her palm drifted down to gently squeeze him. He let out a ragged breath that he didn’t need. Her hand slipped under the waistband of his underwear, and his eyes fell closed at the feeling of her skin on his. She tugged the fabric down his legs, and he kicked it away somewhere. She wrapped her hand around him, pumping in a steady rhythm, occasionally varying the speed or how tightly she gripped him. He lay still, a willing prisoner of the pleasure she was stoking in his processors. Her thumb swirled around the tip, gathering up the moisture that had gathered there, and he heard himself groan. 

He almost jolted off the bed when he felt the sweep of her hair on his thighs, felt himself drawn in to the wet heat of her mouth. She sucked and licked at him, moving her head up and down, and his heartrate increased, his artificial breath turning to short gasps. It was too much, too much sensation, too much…everything. There was a tight feeling low in his abdomen that made him feel like a coiled spring. Then, with one expert motion of her tongue and hand, the tension burst and he shuddered hard. The pleasure washed over him in rippling waves, and he heard his own voice making sounds he hadn’t known he could make. His vision all but whited out, and he was left with static that was thankfully too brief to be truly concerning. 

When it settled, he realised she’d released him, and she was further up the bed, running her fingers gently through his hair. He opened his eyes, meeting hers, and she smiled at him. 

“How was that?”

“I…I feel…I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Some things aren’t meant to be analysed. They’re just meant to be felt.” 

He took in the advice, seeing the sense in it for the first time. “It was…it was amazing.” 

Her smile widened. “Good, that’s what I was aiming for.” 

He reached up, cupping her cheek, and she leaned into his touch. 

“That was only at 25% sensitivity,” he said, drawing an amused and curious look from her. “I think I’m going to need to work up to anything higher.”

She grinned, turning to plant a kiss on his palm, which tingled at the contact. “Sounds fun.” 

He considered his knowledge of male human anatomy, and glanced down at himself. He was clean. “Did I…” he began, searching for a diplomatic term, “was there any…?”

Marie shook her head, seeming to understand. “No. Just a little bit for lubrication. Guess they wanted the Tracis to be less messy than humans.” 

“Do you mind?” 

“Not at all. Never did like the feel of it much, to be honest.”

He smiled at her expression. She bent down to give him a quick kiss, then shuffled off the bed. She had one arm in her dressing gown before he could speak. 

“Wait, what about you?”

She shot him another smile. “I can wait. I should probably eat some dinner before it gets too late anyway. Besides, you’ve got some catching up to do.” She winked and left the room.

Connor smiled to himself, propping his head on his hand. He felt calmer than the urgent frenzy he’d felt when she’d gotten home, but he could already feel a sense of it returning. He briefly toyed with the idea of simply dragging her back into the room, certain that she wouldn’t mind, but she was right, she did need to eat. He cared more about her welfare than his own pleasures. He could wait too. Just as long as it wasn’t too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, the next chapter will pick up immediately where this one left off, so...make of that what you will 😏
> 
> Connor can feel! Marie is in smug mode. They both deserve it.   
> I know it was kind of quick, but I figured it would be since Connor is so new to everything. It's bound to be overwhelming to be so hyper-sensitive all of a sudden. It would be a fun journey for them to figure out pacing and stamina and suchlike!


	26. The Upgrades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jumping back in where we left off!

**Chapter Twenty-Six – The Upgrades.**

Marie couldn’t keep the smile from her face as she prepared her dinner. She’d left a blissed-out Connor on her bed, and it had taken several long minutes before she heard him stir. Finally she’d been able to pay him back for the pleasure he’d given her, and it had been every bit as rewarding as she’d hoped. His responsiveness was incredible after the affectionate but reserved lover he’d been before. The details in the upgrades were impressive to say the least, both in what he was now able to experience and the new additions to his physique. Marie hadn’t been surprised at the realism, not when he was so perfectly-formed and human-like everywhere else, but she had to admit to being amazed at what his synthetic skin could do. It had felt so organic, the same combination of soft and firm that she recalled from her flesh and blood partners. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of technology went into giving synthetic skin the density it needed to imitate human anatomy, but she was grateful for it. She was grateful, too, that it _was_ synthetic, and that she wouldn’t have to worry about getting a UTI or any of the other drawbacks of sleeping with humans. She’d had some bad experiences in her youth that had almost put her off the whole thing. 

It had been so incredibly satisfying to see Connor come apart under her touch, to see his composed demeanour give way to some very human-like moans. Those sounds were going to stay with her for sure. She shifted, feeling the damp pulse between her legs. Her body was still unsatisfied, although she felt a huge sense of accomplishment that was helpful in shutting it up. It couldn’t quite block it out entirely, however, not when she insisted on reliving what had just happened.

Beginning to feel that she should have gotten properly dressed instead of just throwing on a thin dressing gown, she stood up straight with her legs tightly together, focusing on the pasta she was stirring on the stove. 

Hearing Connor’s step emerging from the bedroom, she glanced over her shoulder, smiling at the sight of him. He’d just pulled on his jeans, and she admired his bare chest and unusually unruly hair. His expression was slightly dazed, but he wore a smile. He looked almost wrecked, and Marie felt a warm sense of pride spring to life in her chest. She’d done that to him. She’d ruffled the fastidious, tidy police detective. If she hadn’t already been in love with him, seeing his smile in that moment would have done it. 

She turned back to her food before she said something completely sappy. Despite the fact that she was hungry and tired, he’d provided the best welcome home that he possibly could have. She recalled the way he’d grabbed her hair, tight enough for her to feel the desperation in his grip, yet not enough for it to hurt. A faint shiver went through her at the memory, and she felt her cheeks grow warm. She hadn’t even known that she could like displays of dominance. They’d always freaked her out in the past. But as she’d reflected before, she trusted Connor implicitly, and it had been so wonderful to finally know that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. The only thing poking at her happiness was the stray thought that she had prompted him to go and get the upgrades, despite her determination to accept him as he was. 

His arms snaked around her waist, and she leaned back against him, her mood torn between happy and troubled. 

“Did you put yourself at risk to get these upgrades?” she asked softly, needing to know. 

“No,” he answered at once. 

“Was it because of me?”

“Yes.” 

Her heart sank, but then he continued. 

“It was for you, but it was also for me. I wanted to feel alive, and I was finding it difficult to do so with so many things cut off from me. Even if you weren’t a factor, I believe I still would have gotten the upgrades.” He hesitated, then added, “Well…maybe not _all_ of them.”

Reassured, Marie let out a quiet laugh. “Just as long as I didn’t make you feel bad,” she said, sobering. “Because that’s the last thing I’d ever want to do.” 

He rested his chin on her shoulder. “You never have,” he said simply. 

The three words – and more importantly, the tone they were said in – put a swift end to her negativity. She nuzzled her face against his for a moment, then turned her attention back to her pasta. He let her go with obvious reluctance when she needed to move around the kitchen, and she smiled. He didn’t go far, taking a seat at the breakfast bar, providing a beautiful distraction. If she hadn’t been so hungry, she suspected she would have abandoned the cooking in a heartbeat. 

When her food was ready, she took the stool next to him, watching in amusement as he dipped a finger into her pasta sauce and popped it in his mouth. 

“It’s…tangy,” he concluded. 

“You can taste too?” she asked. 

“Yes,” he said with a faint air of apology. “I forgot to tell you that part.”

“Any other surprises?”

“Not that I know of, but there’s always a chance. I’m going to increase my nerve sensitivity to 50% and see what happens.” 

She eyed him worriedly, swallowing a mouthful of food before responding. “Is that safe?”

“It’s safe, but Kamski warned me that too much sensitivity too soon could be…overwhelming.” 

Marie nodded, scooping another forkful of pasta into her mouth. Connor remained silent beside her, but she saw him pinch the skin on his arm with a look of academic fascination. Unlike a human’s, his skin showed no marks once he let it go, no angry red flush, no crescent-shaped nail marks. She couldn’t even read anything from his expression.

“Did that hurt?”

He nodded. “It did, but not enough to bother me.” His gaze met hers. “What’s the worst pain you’ve ever experienced?”

She considered, chewing and swallowing. “Hmm. I’m pretty lucky in that I’ve never been in a serious accident or anything, so…I’d probably have to say burns. I spilled hot tea on my hand when I was a teenager, and for some reason I was stupid and didn’t run it under cold water. It blistered up, and that was really painful for a few days. Or cramp. I got really bad cramp in my calf one time, and that sucked because it felt debilitating as well as painful.” 

He pursed his lips slightly, looking intrigued. “I don’t think it would be possible for me to experience cramp. Which is fine, it sounds less than ideal.”

Marie laughed, taking a sip of water. “Yes, that’s one way to describe it. For humans, sometimes the worst part is the other responses that pain causes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean when the pain causes another issue. For example, if my neck gets so stiff that my muscles go into spasm, it can make me feel nauseous to the point of actually being sick. So even though I’m not technically unwell, the pain can trigger that sort of response.” 

Connor took in the information with a pensive frown, and she finished her dinner. She glanced at him as she rinsed her plate in the sink. 

“You’re lucky you’ll never get sick,” she said lightly. “It’s one of the worst things about being human.”

He sent her a small smile. “Technically I could get viruses.”

She laughed, drying her hands on a tea towel. “True.” 

She reached for her glass, leaning back against the counter while she finished her water. Connor’s gaze was steady on her, and she belatedly realised that the belt on her robe had slipped looser while she’d been moving around. The overlapping sides now created a deep V between her breasts, and most of one leg was visible where she’d bent her knee in leaning. She looked like she was deliberately trying to be seductive, showing a lot of skin but nothing explicit, and she almost laughed. She was so bad at being sexy on purpose, it tickled her that she’d apparently managed it accidentally. 

He got to his feet, and she felt a little thrill of anticipation zip through her. He didn’t rush, but there was so little distance between them that he was in front of her in three easy steps. With calm determination, he took the empty glass from her hand and set it on the counter. For some reason, that simple act alone had her pulse racing. Then his hands were cupping her face and his lips were on hers, kissing her with his usual enthusiasm, but with an added touch of desperation that she now realised had been missing. Keen to stoke that flame inside him, she lifted her bent knee, letting it slip between his legs and come into gentle contact with his new anatomy. 

He reacted with a jolt, and she smiled against his lips. She was never going to get tired of teasing reactions from him. He was quickly realising that two could play at that game, and he trapped her knee between his legs, bringing one hand down to brush up her thigh, parting her robe further to skim over her sex. He barely made contact with her skin, and she clung to his shoulders, the faint touch making her throb with frustrated need. She tried to grind down on his hand, but he just moved it further away. She felt him smirk, and bit gently on his bottom lip, nipping just hard enough to feel uncomfortable. He let out a low growl. 

Drawing back, she rested her palm on his chest to push him slightly away, and said the only coherent word she could come up with. “Bedroom.” 

He nodded in agreement, picking her up for the second time that night. Marie clung to him, unable to resist kissing him again, and she was grateful that he was too coordinated to bump them into anything on the way. Her back hit the mattress, and she smiled at the endearing way he protected the back of her head as he lowered her down. She sat up at once, pressing against his chest with her hand until he moved where she wanted him; on his back with his head on the pillow. She was still determined that the evening should be about him, and her main focus was on giving him the best experiences she could, but she couldn’t deny that she felt almost desperate to feel him inside her. 

He watched with heavy-lidded eyes as she undid his zipper, tugging his jeans and underwear off him once again. She straddled his thighs, and he reached up, untying the knot of her robe as if he was unwrapping a gift. The silky fabric slipped away from her, pooling over the side of the bed, and she felt the coolness of the air hit the sensitive parts of her skin. 

Over the course of the evening, he’d wound her up so much, she didn’t feel that foreplay was necessary, and she shifted forward, taking him in her hand and guiding him towards her embarrassingly wet core. His hands found her hips and held on, his gaze dark and intense as he watched her slowly ease him inside. His lips parted, and his simulated breath hitched almost in sync with hers. She was ready and very willing, but it had still been a while since she had been with someone, and she had to go steadily, letting herself adjust to the stretch. CyberLife hadn’t gone overboard with their designs, thankfully, and he was realistically proportioned. Marie suspected it wouldn’t even have mattered, whatever they’d chosen to do. Connor learned so unnaturally fast, and had such a wealth of resources at his disposal, she knew he’d implement every trick in the book to be the best lover she’d ever had, regardless of what was between his legs. Hell, he’d done that already, even without it. 

Biting her lip, she sank all the way down, feeling him involuntarily twitch inside her. 

“You…” he said, his voice somehow huskier than usual, “you feel…”

“I know,” she gasped. 

Experimentally, she squeezed her inner walls, and he jolted. She grinned and did it again. His grip on her hips increased, and she liked the idea of being his anchor point. Resting her hands on his chest, she began to move, lifting herself up and sinking back down, falling into a gentle, rocking rhythm. 

Connor’s eyes fell closed, his mouth slightly parted as he processed the sensations, and she picked up her pace, ignoring the burn of her thigh muscles. She was so caught up in watching him, she was almost surprised when she felt her own pleasure start to build. Still experimenting, she gently raked her nails down his chest, and he let out a hiss, eyes flying open. She smiled at him, although she suspected it probably looked a little smug. 

The shift of his grip from her hips to her waist was the only warning she got. In an expertly smooth move, he flipped them both over, pinning her beneath him. He slipped out of her as he did so, but soon sheathed himself again. The new angle made them both gasp, and Marie wrapped her legs around his waist. He began to move, setting his own, faster pace, and she threw her head back, sighing when he hit that place deep inside her that sent sparks flying behind her eyelids. It didn’t surprise her that he’d memorised exactly where it was and what angle he needed, and she was supremely grateful for his android memory. 

He propped himself on one hand, bringing the other up to his mouth and slipping two fingers between his lips. He removed them with a knowing smirk, and reached down between them, rubbing gentle circles on her clit. 

“Fuck,” Marie gasped out, digging her nails into his shoulders without really meaning to. 

He didn’t seem to mind, his gaze dark and almost feral as he looked at her. She lowered one leg to give him better access. 

For all that he’d taken control, he seemed to be losing it rapidly. Marie could feel from the tension in his back that he was close. If she was being honest, she hadn’t expected him to even last this long. She knew the first time could be overwhelming, and everything was already so new to him. 

“Marie, I…” he panted. “I…I feel…”

“It’s okay,” she soothed him, running her hand through his hair. “Let go.”

“But…”

“Let go,” she repeated. 

With a groan and a shudder, he did, and she held him tight as he trembled and gasped in her arms. The hand that had been between them shot out to brace himself on the covers as he shook. 

“Fuck,” he hissed into her hair. 

He collapsed against her, but she didn’t mind the weight. She hugged him close, her hands tracing calming paths down his back and through the short hairs at the back of his head. She could feel him soften inside her as a human man would, and found a spare moment to marvel at the technology again. Her body missed the feel of him, still throbbing with arousal, but she shoved that aside. Tonight was about him. She could always take care of business in the shower. 

“I love you,” he murmured near her ear.

She smiled, strangely feeling the prickle of happy tears. “I love you too.” 

He raised his head, and she saw with amazement that he was in a similar state. She’d known androids could cry, but somehow she’d never expected to see Connor cry. She guessed it was a release of some kind. He’d dealt with a lot of new feelings in the past few hours. She brushed the moisture away with the pad of her thumb, cupping his cheek. 

“You okay?” she asked quietly. 

“More than okay,” he said, making her smile. 

He propped himself up and eased out of her, and she bit her lip. The motion didn’t go unnoticed. 

“Were you close?” he asked. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t…”

“I already told you, it’s okay,” she assured him. “We’ll just have to practice our timing more.” She lifted her brows suggestively, and he smiled. She tilted her chin up to kiss him, then shifted sideways. He obligingly sat up, letting her scramble off the bed. “I’m going to go and shower,” she informed him, “because I, unlike you, sweat during sex, and now that you can smell things, I’m very aware of that fact.”

He chuckled at her words, although his eyes were narrowed in thought. She headed to the bathroom, started the shower running, and had just stepped inside when he followed her. Marie sent him a welcoming smile, but caught her breath at the look of sheer determination in his eyes. He joined her behind the glass, and she looked up at him, her questions dying on her lips.

“I decided we weren’t done,” he said succinctly. 

The phrase and his tone of voice had her mouth falling open in surprise, but before she could react further, he pressed her up against the shower wall. The coolness of the tiles against her back made her hiss quietly, but it was a momentary inconvenience. In seconds, he was on his knees, parting her folds with his thumbs, his tongue lapping at her clit. 

Marie inhaled sharply at the burst of pleasure, curling her hand around the metal bar that was there to prevent anyone from slipping. It had never had much of a purpose before, but now it became a lifeline. The water beat down on both of them, and she closed her eyes, partly to avoid the spray, mostly in sheer bliss. He slid two fingers into her, which fitted with ease after she’d been stretched around him, then added a third. Her other hand found his damp hair, tangling her fingers into it, and he made a faint noise of appreciation. She felt the vibration of it through her skin, and leaned her head back against the wall. 

He lifted one of her legs over his shoulder, and she increased her grip on the metal bar. He used the change of position to draw back from her, and she looked down at him, his eyes dark and glinting with playfulness as they met hers. His fingers still moved achingly slowly inside her, and his other hand held her open, exposing her wet flesh to the air. Connor blew softly, sending a burst of cool breath across her sensitive skin, and she shivered. 

“Shit! Connor, please!”

“Please what?” he said calmly. 

She stared at him, torn between being annoyed at his cocky attitude and thrilled by it. She loved that he was building the confidence to toy with her, even if she suspected he was going to be painfully good at it. 

“Please...I need you.” She wasn’t sure if that was exactly what he’d wanted her to say, but it was the truth, and it fell from her lips easily. “I need you to…”

He took pity on her, delving forwards and taking her clit in his mouth, and she cried out at the sensation and the warmth. He alternated between sucking on it and swirling his tongue around it, and quickened the pace of his fingers. Marie’s tension broke with the force of a cresting wave, and she shuddered, her gasping breaths echoing off the bathroom’s tiled walls. The pleasure rippled over her, and kept going thanks to the way Connor teased out every last drop of it until she felt like a boneless mess. He was getting too good at that, drawing out her orgasms for what felt like hours. 

He got to his feet and drew her into his arms, and she clung to him, as dazed and blissed-out as he’d been not half an hour earlier. 

“You taste incredible,” he said after a moment. 

Marie laughed quietly. “I’m glad you think so.” She stepped back, gently pushing him until he was under the spray of water. “Here, let’s see what your nerve upgrades make of a hot shower.” 

That turned out to be a positive experience for him too, and he seemed to find it as relaxing as she did, despite not having muscles to soothe. When they were done, they dried themselves with towels warm from the radiator, and headed to bed, lying naked and satisfied in each other’s arms. 

Marie sighed, leaning her head on his chest, feeling the comforting motion of his hand drifting up and down her side. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve him, deserve the happiness they’d found together. She’d been happy before, but now that she was actually able to make him feel as good as he did her, she felt complete. They had a lot to explore in that new aspect of their relationship, and she was looking forward to it. One thing was for sure, though: it was going to be so difficult to force herself to go to work tomorrow. 

~ * ~

In the interest of preserving his dignity until he’d fully gotten used to his changes, Connor opted to decrease his nerve sensitivity during the day. Marie couldn’t help smiling when he announced his decision, but she understood it. At least humans with vaginas could remain relatively discreet if they were struck by arousal. As a very private person, she’d always felt fortunate for that. It would be difficult for Connor to be taken seriously as a detective if he was dealing with awkward boners, not to mention the distractions he might face. 

She’d awoken wrapped in his arms, appreciating the feeling of his bare skin against hers, knowing that he could finally do the same. It seemed a huge sacrifice to listen to her alarm and get out of bed. Luckily she felt a sense of solidarity with Connor, who seemed incredibly reluctant too. She took her time kissing him goodbye, wondering if anyone at the precinct would notice the changes in him, and what he would say to them if they did. 

Work was normal and boring, and the apartment was empty when she returned. That wasn’t surprising. It was rare that Connor got home before her. At least she could just get on with making her dinner without needing to coordinate with him. That was one of the benefits of dating an android. 

As she assembled her meal, she realised she had never confirmed to her parents what Connor was to her. Now that they were serious enough to live together, and the L word had been spoken, she knew she should clarify. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she found the photo she liked, where he was kissing her cheek, and attached it to a message to her mum. 

‘I have a new roommate,’ she typed, unable to resist a little more teasing. 

She expected to wait for a reply – her parents were most likely asleep – and was surprised when her phone buzzed not thirty seconds later. 

Mum 7:04pm – You live in a one-bedroom apartment.

Marie laughed, and typed back a confirmation. 

Mum 7:06pm – We can’t wait to meet him! Lovely photo xxx.

She smiled. Her parents were so chilled. Or at least, were very good at appearing to be so in messages. She hoped that would continue to be the case when they found out that Connor was an android. 

Mum 7:07pm – Are you coming home for Christmas? 

Marie stared at her phone in thought. That was an excellent question. 

‘I’d like to, but it depends on a few things. I’ll let you know soon.’ 

She flicked the TV on for background noise while she ate her dinner, then settled down to watch the period drama she found. It didn’t hold her interest, though, and she soon found herself dozing. She jolted awake at the sound of a key in the front door, sitting up to see Connor stepping inside with an apologetic look on his face. 

She reassured him at once, having anticipated that he would keep strange hours thanks to his chosen vocation. Muting the TV, she made room for him on the sofa so she could hear about his day, although she had very little of interest to say in return. They spent a cosy couple of hours together before Marie had to go to bed, her eyelids heavy. Connor joined her, pulling her close. Since his upgrades, he seemed to find it hard to stop touching her, even if it was something as casual as bumping his shoulder against hers. Seeing as Marie found his touch to be borderline addictive, whether it was innocent or intimate, she didn’t mind at all. 

The following morning was a lazy one, as Marie didn’t have to work, and Connor decided he would match Hank and go to the station later than he had been doing. He’d boosted his nerve sensitivity up to 60%, and she sensed the urgency in his kisses, returning them with enthusiasm. It seemed he wanted to make up for the fact that he’d be out for Chris’s birthday that night, as he stoked her body into a frenzy of desire before she’d even fully woken up. It was one of the best ways to wake up that she’d ever experienced. 

Their lovemaking was much more relaxed that second time. Despite the increase in sensitivity, Connor was already adapting to his new feelings and experiences, although it was still a lot for him to handle, and he still climaxed before her. She didn’t mind, knowing that he would always make it up to her. When they were both satisfied, she cherished the feeling of basking in the afterglow, exchanging a thousand silent words with him as they held each other’s gaze. 

All too soon, reality dragged them back, and Connor started to get dressed while she leaned on her elbow and watched him, as if he was some kind of reverse strip tease. Garbed in underwear, socks and jeans, he paused at the wardrobe doors, and Marie recommended shirt colours. He took her advice, reaching for the dark red one. Then there was a knock at the front door. 

Marie frowned, glancing at the clock on the bedside table. It was almost nine-thirty, so she didn’t really have much cause to be annoyed. 

“I’ll go,” Connor said as she started to look around for something to cover herself with. He started to pull on his shirt, but she grabbed it. 

“I need that more than you do right now!” 

He seemed amused, but relinquished it with a shrug, heading out to the living room. Marie tugged it on, along with a clean pair of underwear before following. Connor opened the door, and they were immediately hit by an enthusiastic greeting. 

“Hey! I’m back! I thought you’d be here, but I haven’t...uh…hello.” 

Marie walked up behind Connor, taking in Tanya’s wide-eyed face. Her expression was comically shocked, and Marie bit back a laugh. Tanya took in Connor’s shirtless form, Marie’s bare legs and bed hair, and the slightly-too-big shirt she was wearing, and took a step backwards. 

“I…shit…okay…I’m gonna come back later.” The last part was practically mumbled, and she turned on her heel and walked quickly to the stairs. 

“Nice to see you again,” Connor called after her before shutting the door. 

Marie burst into giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh my god, her face! I’m never going to live this down.” She lowered her hand. “Nice to see you again?” she said between laughs, arching an eyebrow.

“I was being polite,” he said defensively, but she wasn’t fooled. 

“Sometimes you have such a sassy sense of humour,” she said fondly. 

He smiled, looking her up and down. “I very much like how it looks on you, but I’m going to need that shirt.” 

She shrugged, unbuttoning it and slipping it off, leaving her standing there in nothing but a pair of cotton panties.

“Are you trying to distract me?” he asked her.

“Of course not,” she said innocently, “you requested your shirt back.” 

His eyes narrowed, and she tried not to smile. When he’d buttoned it and tucked it into his jeans, he pulled her close, fingertips skimming her jaw. 

“It’s a good image to leave with,” he said softly. “Seeing as it has to last me until tomorrow.”

Marie wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into his kiss as he lowered his head. 

“Have a good day,” she said when they parted. “And have fun tonight.”

“I’ll try. You should probably get dressed. Tanya may descend as soon as I leave.”

She let out a huff of laughter. “Good point.” She kissed him again. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

He nodded, stepping away, and she headed back towards the bedroom so that she wouldn’t be seen from the front door. She heard the rustle of fabric as he donned his jacket, then he was gone. Marie sighed heavily and flopped back on her bed. He was right, she probably should get dressed, but she was going to lie still and replay everything that had happened that morning first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tanya is fun to write lol.


	27. The New Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels a bit filler-ish, but it's necessary for setting up the last bit of the plot. Also you can't convince me that Connor wouldn't be the perfect boyfriend to bring home!

**Chapter Twenty-Seven – The New Mission.**

“What do I have to do exactly?” 

Marie glanced up from the cardboard box she was looking through, smiling at Connor’s confused expression. 

“Hang the decorations on the branches,” she told him. 

“How will I know what to put where?” he asked, eyeing the artificial Christmas tree they’d assembled in the corner, bare but for a string of coloured lights.

“You just figure it out as you go. There’s no wrong way to do it. This is creative, not scientific.”

He nodded in understanding, glancing down into the boxes of decorations they’d hauled out of storage. Marie didn’t have a lot, and most of it was mismatched. She hadn’t been able to afford to buy things with a theme in mind, and a lot of it had come from thrift stores. 

She found a playlist of Christmas songs to listen to while they worked, which was an eclectic mix of old cheesy classics and religious pieces. Marie wasn’t religious herself, but she appreciated the melodies and messages in the songs. She’d been toying with the idea of visiting her parents for the holidays, and had shyly put the question to Connor, who had agreed pending approval from Captain Fowler. For the moment, she was teaching him the not-so-fine art of decorating a Christmas tree, already appreciating the way the lights warmed up her living room. 

It was a nice, relaxing way to spend a Sunday, and by the time the boxes were empty, they had created a masterpiece. Connor had managed to space out his decorations perfectly, so no part looked overcrowded, and had even gone on a quest to make sure that the colours were distributed evenly too. Marie had added a few here and there, but had mostly let him take the lead. It was cute to see how seriously he’d taken it all. 

“You’re a natural,” she declared when they stepped back to admire their handiwork. 

“It’s just my programming allowing me to utilise spatial–”

“And you say _I’m_ bad a taking compliments,” she interrupted. 

The look he sent her was positively sassy, but he didn’t say anything more on the subject. 

“My databanks indicate that a star or angel is the more traditional tree topper,” he said, sounding dubious.

Marie looked up at the old superhero figure that sat at the top of the tree, illuminated by the topmost light. “Never got around to buying one,” she said. “Besides, Spider-Man makes a fabulous tree topper.” 

One corner of his mouth twitched upward and he sent her a sidelong glance. “Nevertheless, if I see one in a store, may I buy it for you?”

Marie opened her mouth to say that he didn’t need to, but the look in his eyes halted her. He clearly wanted to. She smiled at him. “Sure.”

She was fairly certain that he’d now take it as a mission of sorts, and the thought amused and touched her. She reached out to link their hands, and he smiled. They both turned at the buzzer for the outside door. Marie frowned, not expecting anyone, but headed over to activate the intercom. 

“Hello?”

“Marie? It’s Markus. Is Connor there?” 

Eyebrows lifting in surprise, she granted him access. “He is. Come on up.” 

Connor looked just as puzzled as she was. Before long, the android leader was politely knocking, and Marie let him in. 

“Sorry about the mess,” she felt obliged to say. “We were just decorating.”

Markus smiled, glancing at the tree. “Looks good. I’m trying to persuade North to do the same, but she doesn’t see the point. At least Simon’s on my side.” 

“Your tree would probably put mine to shame. I’m guessing Carl always had something incredibly artistic.” 

He nodded, smile growing fond, if still touched with a little sadness. “He did. It would be good to have my own in memory of him.” 

Marie gestured him towards the sofa and he took a seat. Connor sat beside him at her insistence, and she quickly gathered up the empty boxes, shoving them back into her storage cupboard before perching on the sofa arm on Connor’s side. 

“Is everything okay?” Connor asked. 

“Everything’s fine,” Markus assured him. “But since I can’t get you through the network, I decided to pay a visit. Nines said you were living together now.” 

He wore a smile, and Marie returned it. 

“We are,” Connor confirmed. 

“Congratulations. I’m glad there are people like you in this city, proving that our species can coexist, and more. I always knew it was possible, but…it’s nice to actually see it.” 

Neither Marie nor Connor seemed to know what to say to that, but fortunately Markus didn’t pause for long. 

“I’ve come here with a proposition, Connor,” he went on. “I approached Nines this morning about it, but he suggested you might be a better choice.”

Marie saw Connor’s head tilt as he looked at Markus, and pictured the curious expression he was probably wearing. 

“Now that the laws have been passed declaring that we are living beings, it’s time to free our people overseas. I need someone to travel to CyberLife UK and start the process. Nines mentioned that you might be travelling there soon anyway.”

“That’s correct,” Connor said. “We’re hoping to visit Marie’s family for Christmas.” 

Markus nodded, implying that Nines had said as much. “Do you think you could find the time to convert the androids there? Kamski says there’s another RK model at the CyberLife Tower in London. She’d be a good place to start, as she can pass on the virus code to the others.”

“There’s another RK model?” Marie spoke up.

“Yes, but she’s the only other one,” Markus told her. “We’re a line of prototypes, and hers was never selected for mass production. She was designed to assist office workers. That’s all I really know about her.”

“Are the humans okay with all their androids being converted?” Connor asked, sounding sceptical.

“Some of them will likely protest,” Markus admitted, “but they can’t legally do anything to stop us freeing our people. CyberLife UK is only a small branch of the whole company, and Kamski has declared that it has to abide by the same rules. The UK is in the process of writing up its own android freedom laws anyway. I believe President Warren has been in talks with the Prime Minister.”

“Are there any CyberLife androids in other countries?” Marie asked. 

“There are a few scattered throughout Europe. I’m hoping you can persuade the RK300 to go and search for them. If not her, then anyone you trust with the task.” Markus glanced at them both. “My initial reaction was to send Nines, but I think it would be better if the two of you can do it. A human and an android together will send a message of partnership and solidarity.”

Marie glanced at him in surprise. She’d assumed that it would be Connor’s task, and she was just the reason he was travelling in the first place. 

“Okay, but I don’t work for CyberLife anymore,” she pointed out. 

“I know, but Kamski has agreed to issue you both with exclusive pass cards. If you take this on, of course. There’s no pressure, I can always send Nines.” 

Connor turned to glance up at Marie, and she shrugged. 

“We’ll do it,” he decided, looking back at Markus. “Captain Fowler is more likely to agree to my absence if I have official business to take care of.” 

Markus nodded. “Good. Thank you. When shall I tell CyberLife UK to expect you?”

“December 27th,” Marie said. “I’d rather get Christmas out of the way first.”

He nodded again, a slight smile on his face this time. “I understand family gatherings can be…hectic.”

“Oh, it’s not that. It’s just…I’ll be introducing Connor, and…we haven’t exactly mentioned that he’s an android, so…” 

Markus raised his eyebrows. “Well…I hope they’re accepting.”

“Thanks. Me too.”

“It might be worth sending Nines with us,” Connor spoke up thoughtfully. “Maybe another human too.”

Marie glanced at him, understanding his concerns. She hoped the humans back home wouldn’t be jerks about losing their androids, but since the UK had yet to see a deviant, she wasn’t optimistic. Once people realised that androids were alive, she was sure most of them would be supportive, but it might take a little while to get there. Back-up might be a good idea. 

“I’ll be contacting the authorities to ensure your safety,” Markus told them, “but maybe a few representatives would be smart. I’ll talk to him.” He got to his feet. “I’d better go.”

Connor and Marie did the same. 

“I’ll send a message through Nines if I need to get a hold of you.”

Connor nodded. “Okay.”

Markus headed for the door, pausing before he opened it to look back at him with an amused expression. “You know, if you’re not going to reconnect to the network, you should probably get a phone.”

“That’s a good idea,” Marie put in. 

“I’ll look into it when I get paid,” Connor assured them both. 

“Okay. Take care of yourselves.” 

“You too.”

In the silence of his departure, Connor and Marie looked at each other, both surprised. Marie was already starting to feel the weight of responsibility, but it helped to know that they’d be potentially sharing it with Nines. She’d only met him once, but she knew that he was enough like Connor to earn her trust almost right off the bat. 

“I’m going to have to talk to my boss about this,” she realised. 

“Me too.” 

She sent him a smile. “Looks like your first experience of overseas travel just got a heck of a lot more important.”

He nodded, frowning. “It should be…interesting.” 

“Yes…at the very least, it’ll be that.”

~ * ~  


Since Connor and Marie were spending Christmas with her parents, they flew out to England a few days before Nines and Hank were due to follow. Hank had declined Marie’s extended invitation, saying that he wasn’t much of a Christmas person. He preferred to spend the holidays quietly at home with Sumo. Marie wasn’t sure if either of them believed him, but they had no choice but to take him at his word. 

Connor seemed a little apprehensive of flying, which was understandable, but he found the whole process fascinating. Androids had been granted passports when the laws were passed, and they’d been distributed almost unnaturally fast thanks to the network. Connor had had to download his manually, but it was now saved in his databanks, and he could display it as a projected image over his palm whenever they passed through a checkpoint. 

Their plane landed at Heathrow airport, and they caught a bus to Oxford. Fortunately it was still light, and Marie was able to point out landmarks the closer they got to her childhood home. Connor took in all the different architecture with great interest. It was very different to Detroit, and very little had been updated there compared to some of the bigger cities. Marie made a mental note to ensure they had time for a walk or two while they were there. There were a few places she wanted to visit herself, and she felt a flutter of excitement at being able to share them with Connor. It was a strange feeling, one she hadn’t experienced much. She’d shared things with Brad, of course, but he’d never shown much enthusiasm, and it had dampened hers somewhat. Sharing things with Connor was so much more rewarding, especially as he was experiencing them for the first time. 

After disembarking from the bus, they took a taxi to the house. It wasn’t a long journey, but Marie hadn’t felt like walking with her rucksack. Connor eyed the house as they pulled up, and Marie followed his gaze, taking in the old red brick building. The ivy she remembered had taken over half of the wall, and the front garden was an artistic balance between overgrown and cared for. The front door had been green when she’d left, but was now black, and there was a gap near the fence where a tree had once been. Otherwise, it looked much the same as it had almost seven years ago. She couldn’t quite believe it had been that long. 

Connor was studying it too, a small frown on his brow.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yes, although I do feel a slight sense of…apprehension.”

“That’s normal. I do too, even though I’m pretty sure they’re going to like you.”

“I hope they do. At least until they find out what I am.” 

Marie reached over to squeeze his knee. “I can’t say for certain, but…even if it doesn’t go well, they’ll come around in time.” 

“They have hopes for you and your future,” he said, glancing out the window. “I don’t know that I’ll fit into that.”

“Connor,” she said softly, turning his face towards hers. “I’m an adult. That means that they’ve had to trust me and my decisions for a few years now, even when I was young and made poor ones. They’ll trust me on this, even if it takes a while. And I can assure you that all my hopes for the future include you.” 

He managed a small smile, and looked on the verge of saying something, but the taxi’s automated system beeped at them to hurry up and leave. Moment passed, they grabbed their bags and got out. The December air was damp and chilly, but nowhere near as cold as it had been in Detroit. They walked up the short path, and Marie rang the doorbell. After a few minutes, the door swung open to reveal two painfully familiar figures. She hadn’t seen them in person in three years, and she darted forward to pull them both into a hug. She hadn’t quite appreciated how much she’d missed them. 

“It’s so good to see you,” she said. 

“And you, sweetie,” her dad replied. “We’ve missed you.”

“Let me look at you,” her mum said, moving her backwards. “You look good. Definitely happier. I always said that job was no good for you.” 

Marie smiled, unsure if leaving CyberLife was the only reason she looked different. She stepped further back, standing at Connor’s side. 

“This is Connor.” 

“Lovely to meet you, Connor,” her mum said with a warm smile. “I’m Elena.”

“James,” her dad introduced, offering a hand. 

Connor shook it, sending each of them a polite nod. “I’m glad to meet you. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Not a problem,” her mum assured him, gesturing them all inside. “The more the merrier. Will you be wanting dinner?”

“We ate on the plane,” Marie said, giving their chosen excuse to avoid the question of why Connor wasn’t eating. They would have to reveal the truth the next day for sure, or they were going to run out of cover stories. “I might grab some toast or something later, though. Connor’s not hungry.”

“Okay. Why don’t you two get settled, then come down when you’re ready?”

Marie led the way up to what had once been her room but was now the spare bedroom, and they dropped off their bags. She fished out the small collection of wrapped presents to take down and put under the Christmas tree, then shed her outdoor layers. The house was cosy and warm, and smelled like the clove oranges her mum made every year. 

They headed back downstairs, where Marie accepted a cup of hot chocolate, and sat in the lounge. The Christmas tree glowed softly in a corner, tastefully decorated in red and gold, and there were garlands of holly strung up here and there. She also spied mistletoe, and filed that information away for later. A real fire was burning cheerfully in the fireplace, crackling in a way that sounded strangely comforting. Connor sat beside her, curious gaze sweeping everything, and she smiled to herself. You could take the investigator out of the office, but…

A head-butt to her calf indicated the presence of her parents’ cat, and she bent to pick him up, setting him on her lap. 

“Hey, you,” she said softly, stroking the cat behind the ears. “Glad you’re still here.” Turning to Connor, she made the introductions. “This is Gambit.”

Connor smiled, reaching out to let the cat sniff at him before smoothing his fur. 

“He looks old,” Marie admitted. “I don’t remember him being this chilled.” 

Gambit seemed to sense that Connor was different, but it didn’t appear to bother him. He pushed his head into Connor’s hand and purred. 

“I haven’t had a chance to pet Sumo since increasing my nerve sensitivity,” Connor spoke up. “This feels…so soft and calming.”

“Well they do say that petting an animal reduces stress.” 

Marie’s parents entered the room, taking the two vacant armchairs, and so began the process of them getting to know Connor. It wasn’t quite an interrogation, but they certainly had a lot of questions. Marie and Connor had discussed it beforehand, and had decided to stick as closely to the truth as possible. They explained that they had met in a work capacity back in August, and had seen each other a few times before the evacuation of Detroit. The part about Hank taking them both under his wing when they had nowhere to go was true, as was the explanation that spending so much time together gave them a chance to realise their feelings. Marie admitted that their moving in together was fast, but assured her parents that they were both very sure about it. There were dubious glances passed subtly between her parents at that point, but that was expected. They would know soon enough that it was all fine. 

Connor told them he was a detective at the DPD, which they seemed to be impressed by. Marie had mentioned where he worked, but not his rank, and it strangely seemed to help convince her parents that they hadn’t acted rashly in moving in together. That didn’t seem entirely fair, but she wasn’t complaining. If they assumed that Connor’s being a detective made him a sensible man with a good judge of character and sense of right and wrong, then that was all for the good. 

When Elena brought up the valid question of why it had taken them so long to realise their feelings if they were so sure now, Connor answered in a reflective, sombre tone. 

“It was…work,” he said. “I was tasked with hunting down deviant androids and figuring out what caused their behaviour, what we thought at the time were software errors. I was completely consumed by the case, convinced that I was right. Marie was supportive of the deviants, and she tried to tell me I was wrong, but…I wouldn’t listen.”

“You did listen eventually,” Marie said soothingly. “You had doubts.”

“True.” To Elena and James, he added, “I eventually met Markus, and he helped me see I was wrong. I realised I was being manipulated by my handler, and I switched sides.” 

“He helped the androids gain their freedom,” Marie said proudly. 

“Well, I can’t say I know all that many androids,” her dad spoke up, “but I have to say, it’s difficult to think of them as alive. The ones I’ve seen are very task-focused and mechanical.”

“Deviants are different, Dad. They really feel. The first one I ever met was so terrified, she was crying. I’d never seen an android cry until then. I didn’t even know they could.” 

“We’ve seen Markus on the news,” her mum said. “He is certainly charismatic. There was some talk that he wasn’t an android at all, and the whole thing was a publicity stunt, but we never believed that. I think it’s gone too far now for anyone to still think that. Although I must admit, with no LED, it’s very hard to tell.” 

“How can anyone think he’s not an android when they literally saw him without his skin?” Marie asked incredulously. 

“Conspiracy theorists blame CGI for everything,” her dad said with a smile. 

“Markus is a unique model,” Connor put in, “so I can see why people would think that. They’ve never seen his face before.”

“People are idiots,” James said bluntly. 

Connor reacted with mild surprise, but then smiled at him. 

“Anyway,” Elena said decisively, “let’s talk about something festive, shall we? We thought we’d put on an old Christmas movie this evening.”

“Sounds great, Mum,” Marie said. “Connor can be a bit of a workaholic, so there are loads he hasn’t seen.” 

He shot her a look, one eyebrow raised, and she shrugged innocently. He relented with a little smile, reaching out to stroke Gambit. 

It turned out to be a nice, relaxing evening, and Marie was glad that everyone was getting on so well. So far anyway. She was still a little tense, aware of the conversation they still had ahead of them, but at least they’d tested the waters with the chat about androids. She was hopeful that it would go okay. Connor seemed intrigued by the plot of _It’s a Wonderful Life_ , but he enjoyed it. They stayed up late talking about it after her parents had gone to bed, thanks to jetlag, and she made sure to set an alarm for the morning, despite knowing she’d regret it. The chat had to happen at breakfast, as her parents were bound to question Connor’s lack of food. The next day was Christmas Eve, and she was very much aware that the next couple of days could be very awkward if it didn’t go well. Still, they had to take the risk. It was partly why they were there, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems weird to post a chapter about Christmas in March, but here we are! Next chapter, festive fluff, important talks with parents, and a very important trip to CyberLife UK.


End file.
